Online Reading Challenge – September

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Welcome Readers!

This month the Online Reading Challenge is focusing on young adult literature. Our main title for September is The Cousins by Karen McManus. Here’s a quick summary from the publisher:

Milly, Aubrey, and Jonah Story are cousins, but they barely know each another, and they’ve never even met their grandmother. Rich and reclusive, she disinherited their parents before they were born. So when they each receive a letter inviting them to work at her island resort for the summer, they’re surprised . . . and curious.

Their parents are all clear on one point–not going is not an option. This could be the opportunity to get back into Grandmother’s good graces. But when the cousins arrive on the island, it’s immediately clear that she has different plans for them. And the longer they stay, the more they realize how mysterious–and dark–their family’s past is.

The entire Story family has secrets. Whatever pulled them apart years ago isn’t over–and this summer, the cousins will learn everything. – Delacorte Press

Looking for some other young adult literature? Try any of the following.

As always, check each of our locations for displays with lots more titles to choose from!

MORE EBOOKS! MORE DIGITAL AUDIOBOOKS! LIBRARY OF THINGS!

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Thank you to the THOUSANDS of Davenport residents who completed our recent community survey! We are excited to implement ideas you shared to ensure that the Davenport Public Library continues to connect a diverse community to resources that educate, enrich, and entertain.

You overwhelmingly asked for more ebooks and digital audiobooks, and we heard you loud and clear! In order to meet this need, Davenport Public Library is excited to announce that we have QUADRUPLED our collection of digital materials by joining the BRIDGES Consortium! Through collaboration with Iowa libraries via the BRIDGES Consortium, library patrons have access to over 72,000 ebooks, 24,000 digital audiobooks, and 5,400 digital magazines. You will be able to access these titles seamlessly through the Libby app. Access to BRIDGES titles started on July 1, 2025!

Additionally, many of you requested an expansion to our current TechKnow Library collection of devices and other nontraditional items you can check out to try at home instead of making expensive purchases. Thanks to a successful fundraising campaign from the FRIENDS of the Davenport Public Library, we are expanding this collection to create a brand-new Library of Things! You’ll be able to check out cake pans, outdoor games, crafting supplies, tools, and much more when the Library of Things officially launches on October 1st!

In order to allocate funding and space for these new materials, and in alignment with our Collection Development Policy, starting on June 30th Davenport Public Library will no longer purchase physical audiobooks for our collection. This was a difficult decision to make and was arrived at due to the following factors:

  • Usage of our physical audiobooks has steadily decreased in recent years – in the last five years alone, the number of checkouts has plummeted by 56%. This is in stark contrast to our digital audiobook usage, where circulation trends upward every year with increases as high as 36%.
  • Availability of physical audiobooks has also decreased over the years, as most BOCD publishers are no longer even in business and others do not make titles available for libraries to purchase.
  • Cost of physical audiobooks has increased over time and provides less access than digital titles; for instance, the $25,113.76 fee for participation in BRIDGES would allow access to over 102,000 titles, significantly more than we could purchase in physical format. That is a very good return on investment for taxpayers!

We understand that the removal of physical audiobooks may pose challenges, especially for those without access to personal devices. Many alternative options remain available, including digital audiobooks through the Libby app, Tumble Book Library featuring interactive storybooks, and our newest collection of digibooks including Vox and Wonder Books—physical print books with a built-in audiobook similar to Playaways. If you have a low vision, a vision disability, a physical disability, or a reading disability, you may be eligible to receive books and other materials from the Iowa Department for the Blind. They offer a variety of ways to listen to books. Contact the Iowa Department for the Blind at 1-800-362-2587, option 2 to learn more about their services.

Thank you for your patience as we navigate changes to our spaces to accommodate these exciting changes!

Online Reading Challenge – August Wrap-Up

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Hello Fellow Challenge Readers!

How did your reading go this month? Did you read a classic? Share in the comments!

I read our main title: Giovanni’s Room by James Baldwin. Published in 1956, Giovanni’s Room is the story of David, a young man living in Paris in the 1950s. Waiting for his fiancée Hella to return from a trip to Spain, David starts an affair with an Italian bartender named Giovanni. Said affair spans several months. Giovanni is passionate and clever, but something seems off. Soon the two find themselves living together in Giovanni’s small room. David begins to feel stifled, while Giovanni repeatedly says that he won’t survive if David leaves him. During this time, David reflects on a homosexual affair he had in his adolescence and the impulses he has been struggling to repress for years. David is caught in a conflict between heterosexual and homosexual love, between desire and conventional morality. When Hella returns, David again struggles with the life he envisions for himself (and Hella) and with his homosexuality. The three impacted parties (Giovanni, David, and Hella) are humans with flaws whose decisions end up altering their lives forever.

I chose to listen to the audiobook narrated by Matt Bomer with an introduction by Kevin Young, but I highly recommend you read this book in any format that you can get your hands on. The writing style and imagery are gorgeous. The prose was laden with love, highlighting a depth of emotion portrayed beautifully throughout the book. Although I enjoyed the book, the main character was decidedly not my favorite and was hard to love. David was incredibly selfish, only worried about himself, and unlikable. The relationships he was in were toxic, but I had hopes throughout that David would grow by the end. Sadly, he did not. I had a rough time getting through this book, but I’m glad I did as it hooked me in completely with about 45 minutes left in the story. If this is on your to-read list, give it a go and let me know what you think.

Next month, we will be reading young adult literature!

In addition to following the Online Reading Challenge here on our Info Cafe blog, you can join our Online Reading Challenge group on Goodreads and discuss your reads!

New True Crime Books

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While walking the new shelves one day, my eyes caught on the new true crime books, so I wanted to highlight some for you all! Below you will find a list of some of the new true crime books that have been added to the collection recently. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Blood in the Water: The Untold Story of a Family Tragedy by Casey Sherman

Troubled waters hide deadly secrets…

When Nathan Carman, a young man with a complicated past, is miraculously rescued from a lifeboat bobbing in the unforgiving North Atlantic, questions swirl about the fate of his mother, who is presumed to have drowned when their fishing boat sank. Nathan is in remarkably good shape for being lost at sea for a week, and his account of what exactly happened out there on the waves raises questions from family members and law enforcement.

Nathan’s story of a fishing trip gone awry doesn’t quite add up, and suspicion mounts. The mysterious murder of Nathan’s multi-millionaire grandfather a few years before had made Nathan’s mother an extremely wealthy woman. With a seven-million-dollar fortune at stake, did Nathan commit the ultimate betrayal? Or is there more to this tragic tale than meets the eye?

From New York Times bestselling author Casey Sherman comes a gripping contemporary true crime narrative for everyone who was fascinated by the Murdaugh murders, and for anyone compelled by the intersection between money, power, and family. – Sourcebooks

L.A. Coroner: Thomas Noguchi and Death in Hollywood by Ann Soon Choi

L.A. Coroner is a gripping true crime biography of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the controversial “Coroner to the Stars,” who performed the autopsies of Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Natalie Wood, and hundreds of other notable personalities. Choi, an award-winning historian and professor, deftly blends Los Angeles history, death investigation and forensic science, and Asian American history in a feat of exquisite storytelling.

L.A. Coroner is the first-ever biography of Dr. Thomas Noguchi, the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner of Los Angeles County from 1967 to 1982. Throughout his illustrious career, Dr. Noguchi conducted the official autopsies of some of the most high-profile figures of his time. His elaborate press conferences, which often generated more controversy than they did answers, catapulted him into the public eye.

Noguchi was also the inspiration for the popular 1970s-80s television drama Quincy, M.E., starring Jack Klugman. Featuring never-before-published details about Noguchi’s most controversial cases, L.A. Coroner is a meticulously researched biography of a complex man, set against the backdrop of the social and racial politics of the 1960s and 1970s and Hollywood celebrity culture. – Third State Books

The Man Nobody Killed: Life, Death, and Art in Michael Stewart’s New York by Elon Green

The first comprehensive book about Michael Stewart, the young Black artist and model who was the victim of a fatal assault by police in 1983, from Elon Green, the Edgar Award-winning author of Last Call.

At twenty-five years old, Michael Stewart was a young Black aspiring artist, deejay, and model, looking to make a name for himself in the vibrant downtown art scene of the early 1980’s New York City. On September 15, 1983, he was brutally beaten by New York City Transit Authority police for allegedly tagging a 14th Street subway station wall.

Witnesses reported officers beating him with billy clubs and choking him with a nightstick. Stewart arrived at Bellevue Hospital hog-tied with no heartbeat and died after thirteen days in a coma. This was, at that point, the most widely noticed act of police brutality in the city’s history. The Man Nobody Killed recounts the cultural impact of Michael Stewart’s life and death.

The Stewart case quickly catalyzed movements across multiple communities. It became a rallying cry, taken up by artists and singers including Madonna, Keith Haring, Spike Lee, and Jean-Michel Basquiat, tabloid legends such as Jimmy Breslin and Murray Kempton, and the pioneering local news reporter, Gabe Pressman. The Stewart family and the downtown arts community of 1980s New York demanded justice for Michael, leading to multiple investigations into the circumstances of his wrongful death.

Elon Green, the Edgar Award–winning author of Last Call, presents the first comprehensive narrative account of Michael Stewart’s life and killing, the subsequent court proceedings, and the artistic aftermath. In the vein of The Short and Tragic Life of Robert Peace and His Name is George Floyd, Green brings us the story of a promising life cut short and a vivid snapshot of the world surrounding this loss. A tragedy set in stark contrast against the hope, activism, and creativity of the 1980’s New York City art scene, The Man Nobody Killed serves as a poignant reminder of recurring horrors in American history and explores how, and for whom, the justice system fails. – Celadon Books

Murder in the Dollhouse: The Jennifer Dulos Story by Rich Cohen

A nail-biting, edge-of-your-seat investigation into the mysterious disappearance of Jennifer Dulos and the aftershocks that rattled a wealthy suburb.

Rich Cohen’s Murder in the Dollhouse is the chilling, unputdownable story of Jennifer Dulos, a beautiful, rich suburban mother who dropped her kids off at the New Canaan Country School one morning and vanished. Her body has never been found.

Dulos was in the midst of an ugly divorce—one of the most contentious in Connecticut state history. The couple, a beautiful, highly connected pair, met at Brown University, had five children, and led what appeared to be a charmed life. In the wake of her disappearance, Dulos’s husband and his girlfriend were arrested. He killed himself on the day he was supposed to report to court; she was tried and convicted of conspiracy to commit murder. A gripping story of status, wealth, love, and hate, Murder in the Dollhouse peers beneath the sparkling veneer of propriety that surrounded the Duloses to uncover the origins and motivations of a crime that has become a national obsession. – Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Story of a Murder: The Wives, The Mistress, and Dr. Crippen by Hallie Rubenhold

This is the story of a murder, not a murderer . . .

In this epic examination of one of the most infamous murders of the twentieth century, bestselling author of The Five, Hallie Rubenhold, gives voice to those who were never properly heard–the women.

On February 1, 1910, the vivacious, diamond-adorned music hall performer Belle Elmore suddenly vanished from her home, causing alarm among her friends, the entertainers of the Music Hall Ladies’ Guild. Their demands for an investigation would lead to the unearthing of a gruesome secret and trigger a fevered international manhunt for Belle’s husband, medical fraudster Dr. Hawley Harvey Crippen.

Ethel Le Neve, Crippen’s typist and lover, who fled with Crippen in disguise, has always hidden in the shadows of this tale–was she really just “an innocent young girl” in thrall to a powerful older man? And was there an equally sinister story behind the death of Crippen’s first wife, Charlotte?

Brimming with twists and featuring a carnival cast of eccentric entertainers, star lawyers, zealous detectives, medics and liars, Story of a Murder offers an electrifying snapshot of Britain and America at the dawn of the modern era. – Dutton

Fitting Indian written by Jyoti Chand, illustrated by Tara Anand

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Whenever I’m not sure what I want to read, I head to the graphic novel shelves in our teen section. While perusing those shelves one day, I found Fitting Indian written by Jyoti Chand and illustrated by Tara Anand. This debut teen graphic novel caught my attention from the cover alone. This powerful book discusses the stigma of mental illness, how harmful not discussing mental illness can be, and how communities that are honest about mental illness can save lives. I am beyond grateful that I stumbled upon this graphic novel and wish that I could put this in the hands of anyone struggling.

Growing up in a traditional South Asian family, Nitasha is navigating high school and her mental health while her parents want her to be the perfect Indian daughter. Nitasha continuously pushes back against their expectations, which only leads to disappointment on both sides. No matter what she does, it isn’t right. It doesn’t help that her older brother is a doctor and has everything together. Why can’t her parents understand that Nitasha will never be like him? Her life at school isn’t any better either. Her best friend, Ava, has found a new friend and is leaving her in the dust. Her crush, Henry, is also enthralled by the new girl. Angry, sad, and full of emotions, Nitasha turns to alcohol and cutting to cope. When those no longer help, Nitasha doesn’t know what to do. Will she ever be enough? And what will happen if she never is?

Books to Inspire Activism

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If you’re interested in books that explore themes of empowerment, social justice, or the power of collective action, I have gathered a list for you! I focused specifically on books for younger readers, but people of all ages will benefit from reading these books. Below you will find a list of juvenile and young adult titles published in 2024 and 2025 that deal with themes of activism. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions provided by the publishers.

Juvenile Titles

Banned Books, Crop Tops, and Other Bad Influences by Brigit Young

Rose is a good girl. She listens to her parents and follows every rule. After all, rules are there for a reason . . . right? And adults always know best.

Talia, the new girl from New York City, doesn’t think so. After only a week at school, Talia—who does what she wants, when she wants—is already making enemies. First on the list: Charlotte, Rose’s lifelong best friend.

So why can’t Rose stop wondering what it would be like to be Talia’s friend? And why does Rose read a banned book that Talia recommends? Rose doesn’t know. But the forbidden book makes her ask questions she’s never thought of. When Talia suggests they start a banned books club, how can Rose say no?

Pushing against her parents, her school, and even Charlotte opens a new world for Rose. But when Talia’s escapades become more scary than exciting, Rose must decide when it’s right to keep quiet and when it’s time to speak out. – Roaring Book Press

The Empty Place by Olivia A. Cole

A powerful and imaginative story about a girl fighting to find her way back home from a mind-bending land of the lost. When Henry’s father goes missing in the forest on her tenth birthday, her entire world shatters. The last thing she expects is for him to emerge from the trees exactly one year later, unharmed and bearing a gift for her—a strange necklace.

Everyone says her father’s reappearance is a miracle, but Henry wants real answers to her questions. Where did her father go? How did he get back? And what’s the truth behind his gift? Wearing the necklace and carrying only a simple map, Henry enters the same forest that swallowed her father. But beyond the trees, she finds a world more incredible and dangerous than she ever imagined. It’s a place for all who are lost, and there’s no clear method of escape. As Henry follows in her father’s footsteps and searches for a way home, she discovers that the truth she’s seeking isn’t as simple as she hoped, and if she wants to leave this world, she’ll have to be braver than she’s ever been. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Every Story Ever Told by Ami Polonsky

Stevie Jane Cohen-Kaplan’s sheltered suburban life is shattered by a mass shooting at a festival in her town. In the aftermath, her brain feels broken. She can’t bear to visit her mom, recovering in the hospital under Stevie’s dad’s watchful eye, or to be pent up in her grandparents’ nearby Manhattan apartment.

To escape the apartment and her own thoughts, Stevie starts adventuring around New York City with her best friend, Avi, and a new therapy dog (in training). The trio starts chasing stories—about a neighbor’s life after the Holocaust, Stevie’s grandfathers who died of AIDS long before she was born, and even about her own mom’s activist upbringing. These stories may not bring Stevie all the way back to “normal,” but can they help her find a new version of herself? – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

A Girl Called Joy by Jenny Valentine, illustration by Claire Lefevre

Meet ten-year-old Joy Applebloom, a girl with a knack for finding the silver lining in even the darkest of rainclouds.

After years of travelling the world with her parents and older sister, Claude (Claude rhymes with bored, which is just about right), Joy and her family move to suburbia – back to school, back to her grumpy, rule-obsessed grandad and back to normality.

Joy soon finds her usual irrepressible positivity and zest for life waning, but when the powers that be threaten to pull down a mighty oak tree, Joy decides to fight back, and realizes that not all magic requires wands and spells, and perhaps the most important sort of magic is the power, resilience and courage that was there all along . . . – Kane Miller, a division of EDC Publisher

Gracie Under the Waves by Linda Sue Park

An empowering story from #1 New York Times bestseller and Newbery medalist Linda Sue Park starring a young snorkeling enthusiast who draws inspiration for fighting climate change from interacting with her pesty little brother.

Inspired by her own experience, beloved author Linda Sue Park tells the story of a girl learning how to impact a cause she cares about while navigating the ups and downs of a sibling relationship and turning disappointment into opportunity.

Gracie loves snorkeling! She loves it so much, she convinces her parents to let her plan a family vacation to Roatán, Honduras, where they can all snorkel together. She even makes a new friend there. Now, if only her irritating little brother would leave her alone, everything would be perfect. Then Gracie hurts her leg, and all her carefully made plans start to come apart. Worse still, she learns the reef itself is in serious danger. Gracie wants to help the reef . . . but she’s just a kid. What can she do to make a difference? Fortunately, her new friend has a few ideas! – Allida

Young Adult Titles

Compound Fracture by Andrew Joseph White

A queer Appalachian thriller that pulls no punches—following a trans autistic teen who’s drawn into the generational struggle between the rural poor and those who exploit them.

On the night Miles Abernathy—sixteen-year-old socialist and proud West Virginian—comes out as trans to his parents, he sneaks off to a party, carrying evidence that may finally turn the tide of the blood feud plaguing Twist Creek: Photos that prove the county’s Sheriff Davies was responsible for the so-called “accident” that injured his dad, killed others, and crushed their grassroots efforts to unseat him.

The feud began a hundred years ago when Miles’s great-great-grandfather, Saint Abernathy, incited a miners’ rebellion that ended with a public execution at the hands of law enforcement. Now, Miles becomes the feud’s latest victim as the sheriff’s son and his friends sniff out the evidence, follow him through the woods, and beat him nearly to death.

In the hospital, the ghost of a soot-covered man hovers over Miles’s bedside while Sheriff Davies threatens Miles into silence. But when Miles accidently kills one of the boys who hurt him, he learns of other folks in Twist Creek who want out from under the sheriff’s heel. To free their families from this cycle of cruelty, they’re willing to put everything on the line—is Miles?

A visceral, unabashedly political page-turner that won’t let you go until you’ve reached the end, Compound Fracture is not for the faint of heart, but it is for every reader who’s ready to fight for a better world. Hand this story to teens pushing for radical change. – Peachtree Teen

Dear Manny by Nic Stone

Jared Peter Christensen is running for president (of the Junior Class Council at his university, but still). His platform is solid—built on increased equity and inclusion in all sectors of campus life—and he’s got a good chance of beating the deeply conservative business major he’s running against.

But then a transfer student enters the race and calls Jared out for his big-talk/little-action way of moving. But what’s the right way to bring about change? As the campaign heats up, feelings are caught, and juicy secrets come to light, and Jared writes letters to his deceased friend Manny, hoping to make sense of his confusion. What’s a white boy to do when love and politics collide?

New York Times bestselling author Nic Stone writes from a new perspective in this exciting final chapter of the Dear Martin series that examines privilege, love, and our political climate. – Crown Books for Young Readers

Libertad by Bessie Flores Zaldivar

A queer YA coming-of-age set during the rigged Honduran presidential election

As the contentious 2017 presidential election looms and protests rage across every corner of the city, life in Tegucigalpa, Honduras, churns louder and faster. For her part, high school senior Libertad (Libi) Morazán takes heart in writing political poetry for her anonymous Instagram account and a budding romance with someone new. But things come to a head when Mami sees texts on her phone mentioning a kiss with a girl and Libi discovers her beloved older brother, Maynor, playing a major role in the protests. As Libertad faces the political and social corruption around her, stifling homophobia at home and school, and ramped up threats to her poetry online, she begins dreaming of a future in which she doesn’t have to hide who she is or worry about someone she loves losing their life just for speaking up. Then the ultimate tragedy strikes, and leaving her family and friends—plus the only home she’s ever known—might be her only option. – Dial Books

This Book Won’t Burn by Samira Ahmed

After her dad abruptly abandons her family and her mom moves them a million miles from their Chicago home, Noor Khan is forced to start the last quarter of her senior year at a new school, away from everything and everyone she knows and loves.

Reeling from being uprooted and deserted, Noor is certain the key to survival is to keep her head down and make it to graduation.

But things aren’t so simple. At school, Noor discovers hundreds of books have been labeled “obscene” or “pornographic” and are being removed from the library in accordance with a new school board policy. Even worse, virtually all the banned books are by queer and BIPOC authors.

Noor can’t sit back and do nothing, because that goes against everything she believes in, but challenging the status quo just might put a target on her back. Can she effect change by speaking up? Or will small-town politics—and small-town love—be her downfall? – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Wild Dreamers by Margarita Engle

Ana and her mother have been living out of their car ever since her militant father became one of the FBI’s most wanted. Leandro has struggled with debilitating anxiety since his family fled Cuba on a perilous raft.

One moonlit night, in a wilderness park in California, Ana and Leandro meet. Their connection is instant—a shared radiance that feels both scientific and magical. Then they discover they are not alone: a huge mountain lion stalks through the trees, one of many wild animals whose habitat has been threatened by humans.

Determined to make a difference, Ana and Leandro start a rewilding club at their school, working with scientists to build wildlife crossings that can help mountain lions find one another. If pumas can find their way to a better tomorrow, surely Ana and Leandro can too. – Atheneum Books for Young Readers

What Happens in Amsterdam by Rachel Lynn Solomon

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“I can change. I can find myself a thousand different times, and I’m not done yet.”
― Rachel Lynn Solomon, What Happens in Amsterdam

When Dani Dorfman’s life in California spirals out of control, her boyfriend cheats on her, and she is fired from her job, Dani does something drastic: she applies for a job in Amsterdam. Dani has never felt like her life has a purpose, so when she all of a sudden has no job, no boyfriend, and no place to leave, why not apply for a job across the world? When she gets the job, she is shocked, but is ready to start a new chapter.

After arriving in Amsterdam, Dani tries to settle into her new life. By the end of her first week, everything that can go wrong seems to go wrong. Her job isn’t what she expected and her apartment is a disaster, leaving Dani lost and feeling alone. Riding her bike, her life changes when she crashes into her high school ex-boyfriend, the ex-boyfriend that she hasn’t seen since he moved back to Amsterdam after his exchange program ended. You see, Wouter van Leeuwen was a Dutch exchange student that Dani’s family hosted when they were both in high school. This innocent exchange situation turned into forbidden love that ended in a painful breakup over text that has bothered Dani for years.

Bumping into Wouter was not what she expected. The two start up a tentative friendship, but there’s still chemistry zipping between the two. When Dani’s life in Amsterdam falls apart and she loses her job, Wouter proposes a deal: Dani needs a visa and Wouter needs to be married to inherit his family’s home, so why don’t the two do a marriage of convenience? The two will get what they need (Dani getsa visa, a place to live, and time to find a new job, while Wouter gets his family home). After a year, the two can divorce and go their separate ways. Right? This arrangement may prove harder than expected. After all, in order to prove it’s a real marriage, Dani has to move into his apartment. That’s only natural. Enter forced close proximity and feelings, once dormant, rush to the surface again.

This second change romance, marriage of convenience, forced proximity novel was an absolutely gorgeous listen. When I first started listening to What Happens in Amsterdam, I was thrown off by Wouter’s Dutch accent, but he grew on me. I loved the world that the author created, describing the idyllic Amsterdam area and the other places the two visit. This is a slow burn, open door romance, meaning the spice happens on page. I have yet to read a book by Rachel Lynn Solomon that I haven’t enjoyed!

“I took this art class freshman year of college where we had to imitate the style of different artists. When we got to Van Gogh, the teacher went on about how sunflowers weren’t very common to paint at the time. They were rough and coarse, and other artists preferred more delicate flowers. But that’s exactly why Van Gogh liked them. And it’s just never left me the idea of creating something lovely from something that isn’t typically viewed that way.”
― Rachel Lynn Solomon, What Happens in Amsterdam

First Day of School

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Starting school can be hard for both children and parents, but the Davenport Public Library is here to help. We have gathered a list of picture books published in 2024 and 2025 to help the children in your lives get ready for the first day of school! As of this writing, all of these books are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Archie and Pip and the First Day of School written by Zoe Wodarz, illustrated by Mari Richards

Address the excitement and worries about the first day of school

Meet Archie and Pip,
two brothers who have a unique family and love adventures.
The adventure this time? Going to school!

It’s almost the first day of school for brothers Archie and Pip. Archie is starting kindergarten, but both boys are nervous about the changes and new things that the school year will bring. Will Archie make friends and forget all about Pip? Will Archie be able to sit in class all day? What if all the rumors the brothers hear from their friends are true? Read along and see how the boys get ready for school and find out that the first day of school can be pretty great! – CottageDoor Press

First Day, Hooray! by June Sobel, illustrated by Nabila Adani

A back-to-school picture book about the importance of acknowledging your feelings and using them as tools for navigating new experiences. Inspired by the way teachers talk about emotional literacy with young children, this is the ideal book for any kid facing a big milestone, from the author of the bestselling The Goodnight Train.

There’s a lot to check off on the back-to-school list. Lunchbox? Check. Notebook? Paper? Glue stick? Check. Check. Check. But school supplies aren’t the only thing we bring with us. We also bring along our FEELINGS!!

Follow along as a class of young children learns to identify and process the wide array of feelings they meet on the first day of school. Say “hello” to HAPPY, soothe ANGER, jump with EXCITED, and shout HOORAY when a fun day comes to an end.

Inspired by the way educators talk about emotions and build emotional literacy with young children, this rhyming picture book encourages readers to observe and name their feelings and use them to their advantage. First Day, Hooray! provides the tools needed for social emotional learning in and outside the classroom and is an ideal read for rising kindergarteners, to share leading up to and during the first days of school and anytime a child is facing a big change. Includes a back matter note from an educator to guide teachers and caregivers in encouraging emotional literacy with children. – Clarion Books

Gloriana, presente: A First Day of School Story by Alyssa Reynoso-Morris, illustrated by Doris Rodriquez

Enter the classroom in this joyful story of growth that will help new students find their voice. With Spanish words throughout the text, this radiant picture book is perfect for fans of Mango, Abuela, and Me.

On the first day of elementary school, Abuela soothes Gloriana’s nerves by telling her stories from their family home in la República Dominicana. But as soon as Gloriana enters the classroom, the tropical scenery crumbles and la música is replaced with English phrases she does not understand. When other kids approach her to play at recess, she freezes, uncertain about how to exist between her two homes, or how to make new friends between her two languages. Abuela recognizes echoes of her own immigration journey on this challenging day at school, and she gently guides Gloriana towards newfound confidence. This beautifully painted, imaginative picture book celebrates the magic of existing in-between, and the transformative power of self-soothing to build confidence. – Christy Ottaviano Books

Kitty vs. Kindergarten by Martha Freeman, illustrated by Eda Kaban

Kitty knows three things. He is the center of the universe. He likes it that way. Nothing should ever change. But to Kitty’s everlasting surprise and annoyance, things continue to change around him!

Kitty has everything he could ever want—breakfast at 7:00, supper at 4:00, and his favorite raggedy mouse toy. When Kitty goes to sleep, he dreams of a so-cozy life exactly the same as his own because same is what Kitty likes. But Kitty’s world is rocked when his good, nice boy announces that Kitty will be going to kindergarten.

At kindergarten, Kitty is not able to do the things he usually does. He can’t watch his nature shows, sharpen his claws, or hunt for snacks. But with the help of his good, nice boy and the teacher, Kitty learns that he can enjoy trying new things…and still get home in time for supper. – Disney Hyperion

On the First Day of Preschool by Trish Rabe, pictures by Summer Macon

A modern twist on the classic song “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” this picture book will convince parents and children alike that there is no place cooler than a preschool classroom!

On the first day of preschool, there are so many new things to do! From making friends to circle time to sharing snacks, there are lots of exciting firsts to look forward to.

Set to the tune of “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” this picture book is sure to delight and empower the tiniest of readers!

Tish Rabe is a seasoned children’s book author with over 160 titles, including ones for Sesame Street and Curious George, under her belt. Like Natasha Wing with The Night Before Christmas, Rabe puts a novel spin on a first-day-of-school classic with On the First Day of Preschool. – HarperPop

Today at School: with Yesterday and Tomorrow by Jessica Young, illustrated by Renée Kurilla

Award-winning author Jessica Young and New York Times bestselling illustrator Renee Kurilla crafted a heartwarming story about the first day of school, told from the perspective of three timely characters: Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow.

Yesterday and Tomorrow do everything together. Now that the first day of school is here, Yesterday and Tomorrow are unsure about what the day will bring! Until sure enough they discover the power of living in the present with the help of their new friend, Today. From the New York Times bestselling illustrator of Just Because, here is a gentle and uplifting picture book for anyone facing a new experience. – Knopf Books for Young Readers

The Deep Dark by Molly Knox Ostertag

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Family secrets live at the center of Molly Knox Ostertag’s newest graphic novel, The Deep Dark. A mix of fantasy and romance, Ostertag has written a deeply emotional story of identity, grief, trauma, family, and loss all from the point of view of a high school student with serious adult responsibilities.

Everyone has secrets and high school senior Magdalena Herrera has many. Her secret just happens to be deadly and hidden in the dark basement of her family home. Mags and her family have been keeping this secret for decades, keeping friends at bay while they keep this secret safe and away from others. Mags spends her day working a part-time job, going to school, caring for her sick grandmother, and making out with a girl who already has a boyfriend. Mags wishes that she could have a happy, shiny life, but she is drawn to the basement every night to have her energy drained by her secret.

Mags has been isolated in her small desert community for years, seeming to have everything under control, while really she is slowly unraveling. When childhood friend Nessa walks back into her life, Mags begins to come out of her shell. Nessa brings hope for the future, but her motives aren’t entirely pure. Nessa remembers certain things from their shared past that she has questions about, putting the future that Mags has just started hoping for into question. Quickly Mags realizes that while she wants to be with Nessa, she has to stay behind with her secret without anyone’s help. Mags can’t afford to get attached or be distracted. When Mags’ darkness becomes too big for her to manage, she must decide what she is willing to sacrifice. Will she bring her secret fully into the open or will she remain locked in the dark with her secret, unable to live her life to the fullest?

This queer story with monstrous elements had me hooked from the start with unique page layouts and mixed use of black and white, and color. This is actually the second time I have read this book. This re-read allowed me to catch some foreshadowing that I missed my first read. The tension hit me harder on my second read. This is a story of learning to love and accept the darkest parts of yourself, even when they are angry and have the power to hurt you. Don’t let grief hold you back from overcoming your demons and learning to let other people love all of you no matter what.

Meet Me in Italy: Books Set in Italy

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Italy with its rich culture and history has been the backdrop and inspiration for many stories throughout history. Whether to prepare for a trip or to just mentally immerse yourself into the country through the pages of a book, here are some recommendations available here at Davenport Public Library! All descriptions are provided by the publisher.

The pope is dead. Behind the locked doors of the Sistine Chapel, one hundred and eighteen cardinals from all over the globe will gather to cast their votes in the world’s most secretive election. They are holy men. But they are not immune to the human temptations of power and glory. And they are not above the tribalism and factionalism that consumes humanity. When all is said and done, one of them will become the most powerful spiritual figure on Earth

 

 

 

Love & Gelato by Jenna Evans Welch

Lina is spending the summer in Tuscany, but she isn’t in the mood for Italy’s famous sunshine and fairy-tale landscape. She’s only there because it was her mother’s dying wish that she get to know her father. But what kind of father isn’t around for sixteen years? All Lina wants to do is get back home. But then Lina is given a journal that her mom had kept when she lived in Italy. Suddenly Lina’s uncovering a magical world of secret romances, art, and hidden bakeries. A world that inspires Lina, along with the ever-so-charming Ren, to follow in her mother’s footsteps and unearth a secret that has been kept for far too long. It’s a secret that will change everything Lina knew about her mother, her father — and even herself. People come to Italy for love and gelato, someone tells her, but sometimes they discover much more.

Eternal By Lisa Scottoline

Enter the Rome of Eternal, where Elisabetta, Marco, and Sandro grow up as best friends, despite their differences. Elisabetta is a feisty beauty who dreams of becoming a novelist, Marco a handsome cyclist with a secret, and Sandro a Jewish mathematics prodigy. Soon their friendship ripens to romance, and Marco and Sandro vie to win Elisabetta. Meanwhile war threatens the world, and Mussolini leads Italy down a dark path. Harsh restrictions against Italian Jews take legal root, blocking Sandro from finishing his studies. Marco, who works at the local Fascist office, fears that his party is destroying his best friend, but his loyalty is torn. Caught in the middle, Elisabetta struggles to survive as her life crumbles around her. Then the Nazis invade Rome, and a shocking historical event decides the fate of the threesome, once and for all.

Ciao For Now by Kate Bromley

Fashion means everything to Violet Luciano; so does finishing design school. When she lands a summer internship at an up-and-coming fashion brand in Rome, she knows she’s got to bring her A game. The interns will be competing against each other: whoever creates the best fashion design will be offered a job at a New York label. Violet is at the top of her class, but she’s one of the only students who’s approaching thirty. Chasing her dream has left her broke and buried in student debt. Winning is the only option. At a café in Rome, Violet accidentally knocks into someone’s table, ruining the man’s laptop and drink. He is understandably irate. Violet buys Matt an apology coffee, but there is instant animosity between them. Later, the interns discover they’ll be staying in the lavish villa of an eccentric professor and at their welcome dinner, Violet discovers that Matt (evil café Matt) is Matteo, the professor’s son. They’re horrified to be living together, and their angry/witty antics carry on through daily run-ins, chic fashion parties and adventures through Rome. Eventually, their mutual dislike begins to give way to undeniable chemistry.

Call Me By Your Name by Andrè Aciman

Andre Aciman’s Call Me by Your Name is the story of a sudden and powerful romance that blossoms between an adolescent boy and a summer guest at his parents’ cliffside mansion on the Italian Riviera. Each is unprepared for the consequences of their attraction, when, during the restless summer weeks, unrelenting currents of obsession, fascination, and desire intensify their passion and test the charged ground between them. Recklessly, the two verge toward the one thing both fear they may never truly find again: total intimacy. It is an instant classic and one of the great love stories of our time.

 

The Talented Mr. Ripley by Patricia Highsmith

In the first volume of Patricia Highsmith’s five-book Ripley series, that we are introduced to the suave Tom Ripley, a young striver seeking to leave behind his past as an orphan bullied for being a “sissy.” Newly arrived in the heady world of Manhattan, Ripley meets a wealthy industrialist who hires him to bring his playboy son, Dickie Greenleaf, back from gallivanting in Italy. Soon Ripley’s fascination with Dickie’s debonair lifestyle turns obsessive as he finds himself enraged by Dickie’s ambivalent affections for Marge, a charming American dilettante, and Ripley begins a deadly game.

SPQR: A History of Ancient Rome by Mary Beard

A prominent classicist explores ancient Rome and how its citizens adapted the notion of imperial rule, invented the concepts of citizenship and nation, and made laws about those traditionally overlooked in history, including women, slaves, and criminals.

 

 

 

 

 

Always Italy by Frances Mayes

This lush guide, featuring more than 350 glorious photographs from National Geographic, showcases the best Italy has to offer from the perspective of two women who have spent their lives reveling in its unique joys. In these illuminating pages, Frances Mayes, the author of Under the Tuscan Sun and many other bestsellers, and New York Times travel writer Ondine Cohane reveal an Italy that only the locals know, filled with top destinations and unforgettable travel experiences in every region. From the colorful coastline of Cinque Terre and the quiet ports of the Aeolian Islands to the Renaissance architecture of Florence and the best pizza in Rome, every section features insider secrets and off-the-beaten-path recommendations (for example, a little restaurant in Piedmont known for its tajarin, a pasta that is the perfect bed for the region’s celebrated truffles). Here are the best places to stay, eat, and tour, paired with the rich history of each city, hillside town, and unique terrain. Along the way, you’ll make stops at the country’s hidden gems–art galleries, local restaurants, little-known hiking trails, spas, and premier spots for R&R. Inspiring and utterly unique, this vivid treasury is a must-have for anyone who wants to experience the best of Italy.

Any more recommendations? Leave them in the comments below!

 

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