Board Books about Potty Time!

- Stephanie Leave a comment

A frequent topic we get asked about at the library are books to help with potty training! Below I have gathered a list of newer board books to read with the little ones in your life to help with potty time. As of this writing, all of these items are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Daniel Tries a New Potty by Maggie Testa

Daniel Tiger uses a public potty for the first time in this board book perfect for preschoolers!

Daniel Tiger is so excited to go to the train station with his mom to meet his friend Juan Carlos. But then Daniel has to go potty, and he has never used the one at the train station before. Luckily, Mom Tiger is there to help and explain the differences between a public potty and the one at home! – Simon Spotlight

Flush! Flush! Flush! by Douglas Florian

Don’t forget to flush! flush! flush! after using the toilet! This adorable rhyming board book teaches little ones all the steps to potty training.

Discover the whole Baby Steps Series with Play! Play! Play!, Bath! Bath! Bath!, Brush! Brush! Brush!, and Bed! Bed! Bed!

Everyone goes to the bathroom. Bright smiles and enthusiastic kids show toddlers the basics of potty training in this bouncy read-aloud. – little bee books

George goes to the potty by David Gomez

Peppa’s little brother George uses the potty for the first time in this handy board book! It’s a great tool for kids who are also toilet training. – Scholastic Inc.

No More Diapers: A Potty-Training Book illustrated by Marion Cocklico

Discover the perfect potty-time companion with No More Diapers, a delightful interactive book that helps little ones (and their parents) navigate the potty routine with ease.

Join Millie and Mo as they get ready to ditch the diapers and learn how to use the potty. Follow them as they go shopping for a special potty, choose their own underwear and finally go potty for the first time in this fun-filled novelty book, complete with engaging flaps and mechanisms. Each page features helpful potty-training tips for parents and carers, endorsed by The Good Play Guide and leading Early Years Consultant, Dr Amanda Gummer. With charming illustrations from Marion Cocklico, No More Diapers is the perfect book for potty time.

The Big Steps series is designed to support toddlers and parents through everyday experiences. – Campbell Books

Potty Time! by Caroline Church

Caroline Jayne Church and her delightful illustrations have loved children through and through, shown what fun the holidays can be, and how music can bring us closer together. Now her irresistible toddlers shine in this revamped preschool title focusing on the 1-2-3’s of potty training!

With a brand-new look, Potty Time! is Caroline Jayne Church’s entry into a proven timeless topic. The illustrations show joyful toddlers as they are gently encouraged to use the potty on their own. Sure to build confidence and inspire delight with children and guardians alike! – Cartwheel Books

Potty Time with Bean by Rachel Accurso, illustrated by Monique Dong

Toddlers can now learn to use the potty with this sturdy board book featuring Ms. Rachel— YouTube phenomenon, household name, and America’s favorite teacher!

For many young children and their caregivers, potty training is an uncertain time in their lives. Ms. Rachel’s comforting and age-appropriate Potty Time is fun, educational, and perfect for those embarking on this milestone. With sweet illustrations, familiar songs, and have-to-know gestures, Ms. Rachel brings her expertise to this brand-new board book with sturdy pages in an engaging story that will have little ones using the potty in no time. Features helpful potty training tips and advice in the back to assist with this important developmental milestone! – Random House Books for Young Readers

Potty time with Pete the Kitty: a lift-the-flap potty training book by Kimberly and James Dean

Potty time is cool with Pete the Kitty in this groovy lift-the-flap potty training board book!

Pete the Kitty walks toddlers through every groovy step for using the potty, from getting ready, to washing up—all leading up to one rockin’ celebration!

Includes 20 flaps to lift and step-by-step instructions for using the potty.

Increase toddlers’ confidence and success with this fun potty training book starring Pete the Kitty! – HarperCollins

Soul on Fire

- Stephanie Leave a comment

If you’re looking for an inspirational movie, check out Soul On Fire, the story of John O’Leary who survived a terrible accident in 1987 that no one expected him to survive. This 2025 biographical drama focuses on John O’Leary, a St. Louis native, who was in a house fire in 1987 where he suffered severe burns on over 100% of his body. Discussing burn trauma, this movie explores themes of self-acceptance, redemption, and faith as John, his family, and the local community band together to walk with John through this tragic journey. This was a devastatingly powerful movie that is full of heartbreak and struggle as John’s life changes forever through one snap decision. John O’Leary has also written two books: On Fire: the 7 Choices to Ignite a Radically Inspired Life published in 2016 and In Awe: Rediscover your childlike wonder to unleash inspiration, meaning, and joy published in 2020.

Check out the Davenport Public Library’s programs! Did you know that we offer movie programs? One that I wanted to highlight is Tuesday Cinema. Happening on the first Tuesday of the month at 2:00pm at the Main branch downtown, we watch a popular movie recently released to DVD. For more program information, check our calendar of events online.

New local author titles, July-December 2025

- Beth Leave a comment

Dozens of titles were added to our Local Authors collection during the second half of 2025. These are books written by authors born or living in Scott County, Iowa, or Rock Island County, Illinois. In most cases, the items were donated to the Davenport Public Library by the authors themselves. All Local Author items are available for checkout from our Fairmount branch.

Don’t forget — Zines are being added to the local author collection. Zines (pronounced “ZEEN” and short for “fanzine” or “magazine”) are small, independently produced publications. Zines are often created and photocopied by hand. Zines cover a wide range of topics, including art, politics, music, and personal experiences. If you are the creator of a zine (or zines) and are interested in donating to The Library, please drop off a copy at any Davenport Public Library branch. Please include a detailed synopsis along with the author’s contact information. Zines do not need an ISBN number or barcode.

My wicked hometown: the hidden history of Davenport, Iowa by D. Ezra Sidran, Ph. D. — A sordid history of Davenport, Iowa, as told using newspaper clippings going back to the 19th century. This book describes Davenport’s infamous Bucktown and how the archbishop of Davenport called the city, “The wickedest city in America.” Also included are photographs and reports from the Iowa DCI investigation into the collapse of 324 Main Street on May 28, 2023. When the building collapsed there were 74 open housing violations, 2 orders to vacate and a declaration from the Fire Marshall that it was a public hazard. Three people died when the building collapsed. A fourth had her leg amputated in the rubble.

I should’ve cheated by Isis. Robin Richardson swore she’d never be that woman — the one who gave her heart to a man who broke it a thousand times. But when it came to Saxon Anderson, she was addicted. Robin clung to the hope that one day he’d finally choose her. Enter Keontae Adams. Smooth, patient, and dripping with talent, Keontae gave Robin everything Saxon denied her. For the first time, Robin tasted real love — the kind that didn’t come with lies, games, and betrayal. Now Robin is caught between the man who’s owned her heart for years and the man who’s teaching her what love really means. The streets are watching and one wrong choice could cost her everything. Will Robin finally break free from the chains of her toxic past, or will Saxon’s pull drag her back into the chaos?

Escape on the Silk Road by Dan Moore — The thrilling adventure of four people who survive an airplane crash in the desolate reaches of western China. Fritz and Betta, German clothing designers, and Tegh, a Mongolian Uighur student, are expelled from China under suspicion of anti-government activities. Steve, an American forced to leave his NGO work by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, is on the flight by happenstance. Thrown together by fate, the four strangers find themselves traveling the hazardous route of the ancient Silk Road as they head west, hoping to elude the Chinese officials who have declared them fugitives and find safety in Kazakhstan, more than 2,300 miles away.

Death and the dragon by David Hankins. After Lucifer played fast and loose with the Rules governing soul management–after he stole Abigail’s soul without Judgement–Grim storms into Hell to have words with the Lord of Lies. But one does not just waltz in demanding to speak with the Dragon. There are receptionists to battle, forms to complete, and minotaurs to charm. Oh, and a coup by Nigel the Demigod to stop. But what happens when Hell’s new leadership starts pulling the living into Hell before their time? When they bypass Death and threaten premature Armageddon? For Grim, there is no greater sin, and he will tear Hell apart to set thingsright, even if it costs his soul. Death is coming, and Hell will never be the same.”

To dwell in shadows by Avalon Griffin. Samael and Selene’s journey continues into the sinister depths of the Underworld, where Sam’s search for redemption becomes a battle between duty and desire. When Selene left her dull life in the human world to be with her demon mate, she was determined to thrive on her own terms. Selene was ready to build a life with Samael in the realm of Aurelia, free from the expectations of others. Yet, she soon realizes that being the fated mate of a demon comes with more than passion, as a trip to the Underworld forces her to question everything. After decades of loneliness, Samael is ready to heal from his traumatic past. With Selene at his side, he is certain that a reunion with his parents in the Underworld will bring only joy and closure.

Eerie April: a compilation of hauntings by April Crowder. Step into the world of Eerie April, where you will experience ghostly tales of the unexplained.

Silence chases miracles … the extraordinary true story of defying limits, rewriting futures, and finding healing in unexpected places by Dara and Mitch Dietrich. the extraordinary true story of Dara and Mitch, two individuals who defied diagnoses, defied expectations, and found healing not only in medicine and determination but in each other.

Read about Italy during the Winter Olympics

- Beth Leave a comment

The Olympic Winter Games take place in Milano Cortina, Italy, from February 6-22, 2026, with the Paralympic Winter Games taking place March 4-15, 2026. What a great excuse to read books that take place in Italy! As you watch the Games, you may spot the setting of your current read. Below you will find a list of books that take place in Italy, all owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

The Dogs of Venice by Steven Rowley. After months of planning a romantic holiday getaway in Venice, Paul is blindsided when his five-year marriage suddenly unravels. Fueled by heartbreak, Paul endeavors to take the trip alone. Soon after arriving in Italy, he notices a small, scruffy, self-assured dog trotting alongside a canal with the confidence he so desperately wants for himself. When their paths cross again, Paul feels compelled to learn how his new four-legged friend thrives on his own. Amid the food, sights, and welcoming people of Venice, Paul’s journey culminates in a magical encounter that leads him to feel real connection — to a dog, to a foreign city and, most importantly, to himself.

Murder in Chianti by Camilla Trinchieri. Set in the heart of Tuscan wine country, this mystery introduces Nico Doyle, a former NYPD homicide detective who’s just looking for space to grieve when he finds himself pulled into a local murder investigation. Mourning the loss of his wife, Rita, former NYPD homicide detective Nico Doyle moves to her hometown of Gravigna in the wine-soaked region of Chianti. Half-Italian and half-Irish, Nico finds himself able to get by in the region with the help of Rita’s relatives, but he still feels alone and out of place. Early one morning, he hears a gunshot near his cabin and walks out to discover a dead body in the woods, flashily dressed in gold tennis shoes. Salvatore Perillo, the local maresciallo, enlists Nico’s help with the murder case. It turns out more than one person in this idyllic corner of Italy knew the victim, and with a very small pool of suspects, including his own in-laws, Nico must dig up Gravigna’s every last painful secret to get to the truth.

May the Wolf Die by Elizabeth Heider. Nikki Serafino is enjoying the sunset from her boat in her beloved port city of Naples, Italy, when she discovers the body of a man in the warm waters of the bay. An investigator working as the liaison between local police and American troops, Nikki is certainly no stranger to violence and organized crime, but this case grows complicated when the victim turns out to be a U.S. Navy captain stationed at the nearby military base-and the autopsy reveals foul play. As she delves into the case, another body is found and Nikki must face connections linking the murders to her own complicated history as a daughter of Naples.

Every Time I Go on Vacation, Someone Dies by Catherine Mack. All that bestselling author Eleanor Dash wants is to get through her book tour in Italy and kill off her main character, Connor Smith, in the next in her Vacation Mysteries series — is that too much to ask? Clearly, because when an attempt is made on the real Connor’s life — the handsome but infuriating con man she got mixed up with ten years ago and now can’t get out of her life — Eleanor’s enlisted to help solve the case. Contending with literary rivals, rabid fans, a stalker — and even her ex, Oliver, who turns up unexpectedly — theories are bandied about, and rivalries, rifts, and broken hearts are revealed. But who’s really trying to get away with murder?

Code Word Romance by Carlie Walker. Max happens to look exactly like Sofia Kristiansen, the youngest female prime minister in Europe. Sofia is powerful, beautiful, and unfortunately, someone is trying really hard to assassinate her. Her security service wants to outsmart the bad guys by employing a body double during the prime minister’s annual Italian holiday. Physically speaking, Max is an outrageously convincing doppelgänger; surely no one will spot the difference. No one can know about Max’s new job — no one except Sofia and a few intelligence officers, including Flynn, the handler assigned to Max’s case. Flynn, who’ll instruct her how to act like a prime minister in public. Flynn, who has an unexpected history with Max — from another sun-drenched summer years and years ago. Now he’s instructed to stay in Max’s suite to protect her as old passions and assassins collide.

There are four books in the “Meet me in Italy” series by Jennifer Probst, but each stands alone.

Our Italian Summer features three generations of Ferrari women who need to heal the broken pieces of their lives…and one trip of a lifetime through Italy.

The Secret Love Letters of Olivia Moretti is about a secret romance that sends three estranged sisters to the Amalfi Coast to follow clues about their mother’s past and challenges them to a whole new future.

A destination wedding in Italy’s Lake Como brings three best friends back together to face the secrets of the past in A Wedding in Lake Como.

And in the newest edition to the series, To Sicily with Love, a lonely woman meets the big Italian family she never knew about during a life-changing summer.

Anime Rom-Coms

- Elena Leave a comment

Last year, I wrote about romance manga, so this year I want to highlight on-screen love with these anime rom-coms. If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance to watch, these anime series are a perfect match! The following titles are all available through The Library. (Descriptions below provided by publisher.)

My Love Story!!
Takeo Goda is a giant guy with a giant heart. Too bad the girls don’t want him! (They always go for his good-looking best friend, Sunakawa.) Used to being on the sidelines, Takeo simply stands tall and accepts his fate. But one day when he saves a girl named Yamato from a harasser on the train, his (love!) life suddenly takes an incredible turn! Takeo can hardly believe it when he crosses paths with Yamato again, and he finds himself falling in love with her… But with handsome Sunakawa around, does Takeo even stand a chance?

A Sign of Affection
For hearing-impaired university student Yuki Itose, silence has been a natural part of life since birth. Her world is small and isolated; she commutes to campus, interacts with her best friend Rin Fujishiro, and communicates through writing and text messages—a lifestyle that offers little to no change. One day, during her commute, Yuki meets fellow student Itsuomi Nagi, a multilingual travel enthusiast and friend of Rin. When Itsuomi learns of Yuki’s condition, he takes it in stride, moving Yuki’s heart. From this one simple gesture, Yuki and Itsuomi’s lives start changing day by day as they let each other into their own worlds.

The Ice Guy and His Cool Female Colleague
For Himuro, being a descendant of a snow spirit is tough at the workplace when your emotions can lead to snow blasts with snowmen and igloos. Any emotionally charged incident with coworkers can trigger it—conflict, fun, and in this case, romance. And with his lovely and calm coworker Fuyutsuki, he gets more frozen, literally. Get ready for a snow-white office romance that blows in like a blizzard.

Love after World Domination
It’s love at first sight for Fudo and Desumi, except it was during a battle of life and death. Fudo, leader of the hero squad Gelato 5, and Desumi, the Death Queen of the evil society Gekko, have found themselves caught in a forbidden love—and it’s their first relationship! Moving in secrecy, they live holding hands with one weapon in the other, finding out what’s truly fair in love and war. Can they keep their romance a secret from across the battlefield?

How I Attended an All-Guy’s Mixer
College student Tokiwa gets invited to a mixer by his female classmate Suo. But when he arrives with his friends Asagi and Hagi, they’re greeted by three dazzlingly handsome men. Turns out these three cute boys are actually women in drag! They soon find themselves getting closer in unexpectedly heartwarming (and hilarious) ways.

Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham

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In Forget Me Not by Stacy Willingham, readers follow Claire Campbell as she wrestles with her traumatic childhood after the disappearance of her older sister. Claire’s older sister, Natalie, disappeared shortly after her eighteenth birthday over twenty-two years ago. Her family was destroyed in the aftermath. Authorities quickly closed the case after Natalie’s blood was found in an older man’s car. He was soon arrested and sentenced to prison for her death. Claire has spent the two decades since trying to move on from her past. She moved away from her family, hasn’t visited her hometown since, and started working as an investigative journalist. After she is passed up for a promotion, she quits her job, deciding to freelance instead. With an empty summer looming in front of her, Claire is shocked when her father calls to summon her back home.

Claire heads back home, much to the surprise of her mother. Convinced she’ll have nothing to do while stuck in her childhood home with her mother, Claire pivots and heads to Galloway Farm, the vineyard where Natalie worked the summer she went missing. When she arrives, Claire is shocked to be offered a seasonal job picking muscadines and helping with other farm tasks. At first, Claire finds this experience relaxing and idyllic, but something seems off at Galloway Farm. As she settles into the guest house, Claire discovers an old diary hidden in the floorboards written by one of the vineyard owners. The stories written are of love and rebellion, but quickly turn bad. The more she reads, the more drawn into the past she becomes. Are their connections between the people and stories in the diary to present day? Claire is soon immersed in a world of danger and intrigue as she obsesses over the truth.

Stacy Willingham kept me on my toes the entire time I was reading this title. I was engaged from start to finish in this witty, twisty story. An eerie feeling kept me on edge and filled with tension as the story progressed. If you like isolated settings, southern thrillers, domestic suspense, and family dramas with true crime vibes, give Forget Me Not a read.

This title is also available in large print and CD audiobook.

Valentine’s Day Stories for Children

- Stephanie Leave a comment

If you’re looking to inspire kindness in the children in your life, try some of these sweet Valentine’s Day stories. Below I have gathered a list of toddler books, picture books, and easy readers that focus on love, generosity, and friendship. As of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Toddler Books

Construction Site – You’re Just Right: A Valentine Life-the-Flap Book written by Sherri Duskey Rinker and AG Ford

Celebrate Valentine’s Day with the construction crew from the bestselling Goodnight, Goodnight, Construction Site series!

It’s Valentine’s Day at the construction site, and every truck finds a special note just for them—but who is the mystery writer? Lift the flaps to reveal sweet and silly messages, and celebrate the kindness of true friends.

With bestselling author Sherri Duskey Rinker’s lovable rhyming text, and heartwarming illustrations by AG Ford, this interactive Valentine’s tale will bring smiles to big truck fans and their families year after year. – Chronicle Books

The Goodnight Train Valentine written by June Sobel, illustrated by Laura Huliska-Beith

An ideal valentine for train enthusiasts, bedtime resisters, and Goodnight Train fans! A companion to The Goodnight Train Halloween and The Goodnight Train Easter, this sturdy board book has heart-shaped peekaboo die-cuts on every page.

X O! X O! Choo! Choo!

Love is in the air! Cozy up with someone special and take a Valentine’s Eve ride on the Goodnight Train in this sturdy board book with heart-shaped peekaboo die-cuts on every page. Little ones who love cars, trucks, and things that go will love all of the Goodnight Train books! – Clarion Books

Picture Books

Bigfoot’s Big Heart written by Sarah Glenn Marsh, illustrated by Ishaa Lobo

When Bigfoot loses the valentines he meant to send to his fellow monsters in hiding, scouts from all over the world come together to deliver the letters.

It’s lonely being a monster. But having other mythical pen pals helps. When Bigfoot loses the Valentine’s Day cards he so tenderly made for his friends around the world, a troop of scouts offers to help. But they will have to get creative to find every mythical creature in time! Sarah Glenn Marsh and Ishaa Lobo team up again for a sweet Valentine’s Day tale about the value of friends, both new and old. – Viking Books for Young Readers

Celebrate Love Day! adapted by Alexandra Cassel Schwartz, poses and layouts by Jason Fruchter

A new generation of children love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, inspired by the classic series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood!

Daniel Tiger celebrates Love Day by making cards for the people he loves. This 8×8 storybook comes with eight cardstock love notes that little tigers can give to their family and friends!

It’s Love Day in the neighborhood, and Daniel is giving cards that say “I love you” to his family and friends. Then, he receives an anonymous card in his school cubby. When Daniel figures out who it’s from, he’s in for a wonderful Love Day surprise! – Simon Spotlight

Hap-pea Valentine’s Day! by Keith Baker

Keith Baker’s New York Times bestselling peas get a Valentine’s Day spin in this picture book filled with lots of loving and giving moments for the peas to share!

It’s Valentine’s Day, and there are lots of hap-pea hearts for the peas to give away. From frilly hearts and silly hearts to growing hearts and glowing hearts, there’s plenty of love to go around. Will you join the peas in giving away some valentines? Any kind will do… Every hap-pea heart says, “I Love You!” – Beach Lane Books

The House of Love written by Adriana Trigiani, illustrated by Amy June Bates

New York Times bestselling adult novelist Adriana Trigiani and beloved illustrator Amy June Bates team up for a heartwarming picture book about a how a family comes together to celebrate Valentine’s Day.

Mia Valentina Amore loves valentines. After all, her name means My Valentine. When she wakes up on Valentine’s Day, it looks like just another morning in the rickety old Amore house in the Blue Ridge mountains of Appalachia. But over the course of the day, her home is transformed into the House of Love. Mia and her mama festoon the halls, build a gumdrop tree, bake cupcakes, and most importantly, make valentines for all six of her siblings. But when Mia doesn’t receive her own valentine, she wonders if Mama could have forgotten her.

New York Times bestselling novelist and filmmaker Adriana Trigiani has crafted a tender mother-daughter story that celebrates Valentine’s Day or any day that brings family together. And acclaimed illustrator Amy June Bates brings warmth and coziness to a story that affirms it doesn’t matter where you come from as long as that place is full of love. – Viking Books for Young Readers

How to Love a Grandma written by Jean Reagan, illustrated by Lee Wildish

Discover all the ways you can love a grandma in this unique and heartwarming story by the New York Times bestselling creators of How to Babysit a Grandma and How to Babysit a Grandpa.

You love Grandma, and Grandma loves you! Love her by: sharing with her, helping her, cheering her on, and, most of all, giving her great big hugs. Celebrate all the moments that can make grandmas feel special and cared for during Valentine’s Day and beyond! – Knopf Books for Young Readers

I Spy Love: A Book of Picture Riddles riddles by Dan & Dave Marzollo, photographs by Walter Wick

Love is in the air with a brand-new I Spy book! Can you find Cupid and his bow, a groom with a bride, wedding rings, babies, pets, and stuffed animal hugs? How many different hearts can you search and find? There are hearts on dice, hearts on cards, and hearts on coins. Look for rainbow hearts and zebra hearts. Can you even spot a heart way up in the sky?

I Spy Love is perfect for Valentine’s Day or any day when you need to search for some love. I Spy is a New York Times bestselling series, and Walter Wick’s captivating photographs paired with Jean Marzollo’s clever rhyming puzzles have mesmerized millions of readers for over 30 years. Wick and Marzollo continue to amaze search-and-find fans of all ages. – Cartwheel Books

Love, Violet words by Charlotte Sullivan Wild, pictures by Charlene Chua

Love, Violet by Charlotte Sullivan Wild and Charlene Chua is a touching picture book about friendship and the courage it takes to share your feelings.

Only one person
makes Violet’s heart skip

Of all the kids in Violet’s class, only one leaves her speechless: Mira, the girl with the cheery laugh who races like the wind. If only they could adventure together! But every time Violet tries to tell Mira how she feels, Violet goes shy. As Valentine’s Day approaches, Violet is determined to tell Mira just how special she is.

Charlene Chua’s luminous watercolors bring to life this sweet and gentle picture book about friendship, love, and the courage it takes to share your heart. – Farrar, Strauss and Giroux

Slug in Love written by Rachel Bright, illustrated by Nadia Shireen

From the bestselling author of Love Monster comes the irresistible story of one slug’s search for love in this endearing rhyming picture book perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Doug the slug needs a hug. But who wants to hug a slug called Doug? After a long search for someone to snuggle, lonesome Doug is ready to give up hope. But you never know when love might come flying by! Young readers will love this funny and fabulous tale that shows there’s a friend for everyone. – Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books

A Unicorn Named Sparkle and the Perfect Valentine written and illustrated by Amy Young

The fifth book in A Unicorn Named Sparkle series is about finding out there’s no perfect way to say “I love you.”

Lucy and a unicorn named Sparkle are back for another funny and sweet adventure.

Valentine’s Day is when you tell the people in your life how much you love them. There’s no one Sparkle loves more than Lucy. He decides to make her the perfect valentine. Except, instead of hands, Sparkle has hooves. He can’t write and he can’t cut. So how is he going to show Lucy that he loves her best of all? – Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Valenslime written by Joy Keller, illustrated by Ashley Belote

A young slime scientist’s efforts to make a Valentine’s Day friend for her slime explode in Valenslime, a clever and funny picture book companion to Joy Keller and Ashley Belote’s Frankenslime.

Victoria Franken, slime scientist, loved her slime. And her slime loved her back.

Ever since the dark and stormy night when Victoria Franken brought her slime to life, she and Goop have been great friends, but when Valentine’s Day rolls around, Victoria comes to the horrifying realization that while she had many friends, Goop only had her.

The only solution is for her to make him a new friend. But when Victoria gets bored waiting for lightning to strike twice, things get a bit out of control! – Feiwel & Friends

Readers

Llama Llama be my valentine! based on the series created by Anna Dewdney

Llama Llama joins the Step into Reading line with a Valentine’s Day story celebrated in the classroom! Based on the hit Netflix television series.

Families will relate to the last minute scramble to create special valentines for classmates in this Llama Llama Step 2 reader. Gilroy Goat is stumped about what to create. But in the end, he comes up with an idea that is all his own!

The beloved character, made famous by Anna Dewdney’s best-selling picture books, is the star of his own original series.

Step 2 Readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories, for children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. Rhyme and rhythmic text paired with picture clues help children decode the story. – Random House Books for Young Readers

Stitch’s Valentine written by Tim McCanna, illustrated by the Disney Storybook Art Team

A Step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader starring Stitch from Disney’s Lilo & Stitch as he celebrates Valentine’s Day!

It’s Valentine’s Day, and everyone has a Valentine except Stitch! He heads out to find his alien friend Angel to celebrate with, but can he find her before the day ends? Kids ages 4 to 6 will love this sweet and silly step 2 Step into Reading leveled reader based on Disney’s Lilo & Stitch, perfect for Valentine’s Day!

Step 2 readers use basic vocabulary and short sentences to tell simple stories. For children who recognize familiar words and can sound out new words with help. – RH/Disney

Vanishing Valentines adapted by Annie Auerbach

When Valentine’s Day cards and treats go missing throughout Kittydale, the SuperKitties must track down the thief to save the holiday. This pawsome foursome of adorable kitties transform into fierce, furry super heroes anytime justice needs to be served. Based on the hit Disney Junior series SuperKitties, this early reader is perfect for fans aged 4 to 6.

This Level 1 reader is Lexile leveled to align the reader and text at an appropriate level of reading difficulty. The use of simple text and word repetitions helps lead emergent readers to reading success. – Random House / Disney

With Love from Daniel written by Perry Michaels, poses and layouts by Jason Fruchter

A new generation of children love Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood, inspired by the classic series Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood!

Daniel Tiger shares stories about the people in his life that he loves in this sweet Pre-Level 1 Ready-to-Read perfect for Valentine’s Day or anytime you want to show you care!

Daniel tells his class about the family and friends he loves. He draws pictures to show while he talks about each one and their special memories together, from playing cars with Miss Elaina to Dad Tiger putting Daniel up on his shoulders! – Simon Spotlight

January’s Celebrity Book Club Picks

- Stephanie Leave a comment

Bestsellers Club is a service that automatically places you on hold for authors, celebrity picks, nonfiction picks, and fiction picks. Choose any author, celebrity pick, fiction pick, and/or nonfiction pick and The Library will put the latest title on hold for you automatically. Select as many as you want! Still have questions? Click here for a list of FAQs.

It’s a new month which means that Jenna Bush Hager and Reese Witherspoon have picked new books for their book clubs! Oprah has also recently announced a new pick. Reminder that if you join Bestsellers Club, you can choose to have their selections automatically put on hold for you.

Jenna Bush Hager has selected Homeschooled by Stefan Merrill Block for her January pick.

Curious what Homeschooled is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

A heartbreaking, empowering and often hilarious debut memoir about a mother’s all-consuming love, a son’s perilous quest to discover the world beyond the front door and the unregulated homeschool system that impacts millions like him

Stefan Merrill Block was nine when his mother pulled him from school, certain that his teachers were “stifling his creativity.” Hungry for more time with her boy who was growing up too quickly, she began to instruct Stefan in the family’s living room. Beyond his formal lessons in math, however, Stefan was largely left to his own devices and his mother’s erratic whims, such as her project to recapture her twelve-year-old son’s early years by bleaching his hair and putting him on a crawling regimen.

Years before homeschooling would become a massive nationwide movement, at a time when it had just become legal in his home state of Texas, Stefan vanished into that unseen space and into his mother’s increasingly eccentric theories and projects. But when, after five years away from the outside world, Stefan reentered the public school system in Plano as a freshman, he was in for a jarring awakening.

At once a novelistic portrait of mother and son, and an illuminating window into an overlooked corner of the American education system, Homeschooled is a moving, funny and ultimately inspiring story of a son’s battle for a life of his own choosing, and the wages of a mother’s insatiable love. – Hanover Square Press

Reese Witherspoon has selected The First Time I Saw Him by Laura Dave for her January pick.

Curious what The First Time I Saw Him is about? Check out the following description provided by the publisher.

How far would you go for a second chance?

Five years after her husband, Owen, disappeared, Hannah Hall and her stepdaughter, Bailey, have settled into a new life in Southern California. Together, they’ve forged a relationship with Bailey’s grandfather Nicholas and are putting the past behind them.

But when Owen shows up at Hannah’s new exhibition, she knows that she and Bailey are in danger again.

Hannah and Bailey are forced to go on the run in a relentless race to keep their past from catching up with them. As a thrilling drama unfolds, Hannah risks everything to get Bailey to safety—and finds there just might be a way back to Owen and their long-awaited second chance. – Scribner

This title is also available in large print.

Join Bestsellers Club to have Oprah, Jenna, and Reese’s adult selections automatically put on hold for you!

Online Reading Challenge – February

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Welcome Readers!

Our 2026 Online Reading Challenge is … KNOW YOUR HISTORY! Each month we will be reading about a different observance month and highlighting a main title about that month.

For February, we will be reading books that reflect on the legacy and contributions of African Americans. Our main title for February is Freshwater by Akwaeke Emezi. Here’s a quick summary from the publisher:

The astonishing debut novel from the acclaimed bestselling author of The Death of Vivek Oji, You Made a Fool of Death with Your Beauty, and Pet, Freshwater tells the story of Ada, an unusual child who is a source of deep concern to her southern Nigerian family. Young Ada is troubled, prone to violent fits. Born “with one foot on the other side,” she begins to develop separate selves within her as she grows into adulthood. And when she travels to America for college, a traumatic event on campus crystallizes the selves into something powerful and potentially dangerous, making Ada fade into the background of her own mind as these alters—now protective, now hedonistic—move into control. Written with stylistic brilliance and based in the author’s realities, Freshwater dazzles with ferocious energy and serpentine grace. – Grove Atlantic

Looking for some other books that reflect on the legacy and contributions of African Americans or that are written by Black authors? Try any of the following.

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

Online Reading Challenge – January Wrap-Up

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How did your reading go this month? Did you read something to remember the Holocaust this month? In January, we focused on International Holocaust Remembrance Day which falls on January 27th. Are you finishing strong? Or do you still have some months to catch up on? Share in the comments!

I read our main title: Our Darkest Night by Jennifer Robson. When exploring titles to read that relate to the Holocaust, I knew that I wanted to focus on a different country than Germany. When I discovered Our Darkest Night focuses on Italian Jews, I knew I had found the title I wanted to focus on.

Our Darkest Night tells the story of the Mazin family. It’s the autumn of 1943 and Antonina Mazin lives in Venice, Italy with her parents. Her father, a local doctor, was forced to stop treating patients, but he still finds way to help them in secret. Antonina has been helping her father, but with her mother’s illness, she instead spends time visiting her mother at her care home. With Nazi Germany’s invasion of Italy, Antonina works to convince her father that it is time to leave Venice and travel abroad to hopeful safety. Her father has other plans though as there is no way that he will leave his wife who is too sick to travel behind. His plan is to save Antonina alone.

She is to leave Venice and hide in the countryside with a man who is a friend of the family’s priest. She must change her name, her religion, leave her parents behind, and pretend to be this stranger’s loving wife. Will she and this man, this Nico Gerardi, be able to fool his family and friends? Will they be able to convince them of their love? Will Nina, a city girl, be able to survive farm life? A local Nazi official has taken interest in Nico and Nina’s relationship. His suspicions continue to grow during each unannounced visit. Amidst the chaos of farm life, Nico and Nina grow ever closer. Their feelings deepen changing their relationship to something more meaningful and lasting. The danger amps up, leaving the two to wonder what their future will be.

I found Our Darkest Night to be incredibly well-researched. Jennifer Robson has a beautiful writing style. Every single character was very well-written to the point that they felt real and not only in the author’s imagination. What I most appreciated about this novel was that the author put real emotional depth into her writing and characters. The characters in this novel suffered, but they refused to give up hope. This was one of the most healing pieces of World War II fiction that I have ever read.

Next month, we will be reading about Black History Month.

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!

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