Beekeeping Books

April 15, 2025March 27, 2025 - Stephanie Leave a comment

Are you interested in beekeeping? Are you curious how adding bees can help your yard and garden? The Davenport Public Library has books to help you out! Below we have gathered a list of nonfiction books about beekeeping, plus a bonus cozy mystery about bees, to get you started.

At the time of this writing, all of these titles are owned by the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions provided by the publishers.

The Backyard Beekeeper: an Absolute Beginner’s Guide to Keeping Bees in your Yard and Garden 5th Edition by Kim Flottum

A Comprehensive Guide to Keeping Healthy, Happy, and Productive Bees.

Experience the timeless joy of beekeeping—right in your backyard or on your urban rooftop—with this fully updated and accessible resource for beekeepers of all levels.

More than just a how-to guide, The Backyard Beekeeper offers expert insights and practical advice on every aspect of caring for bees and harvesting their gifts. Learn how to:

Set Up and Maintain Hives – Start and care for thriving colonies.
Choose the Ideal Location – Ensure the safety of your bees and yourself.
Practice Nontoxic Beekeeping – Use natural, sustainable care methods.
Manage Swarms – Prevent and control swarming behavior.
Work with Top Bar Hives – Explore alternative hive options.
Harvest Hive Products – Collect honey, beeswax, and more.
Identify and Treat Bee Health Issues – Recognize problems early and apply effective solutions.

What’s New in the 5th Edition:

Natural Beekeeping Methods – Learn how to insulate hives for winter, mirroring the natural advantages of wild bee habitats.
Updated Treatments for Varroa Mites – Stay ahead in the fight against one of beekeeping’s greatest challenges.
Guidance on New Antibiotic Regulations – Navigate the latest recommendations for managing American foulbrood.
Modern Recordkeeping Tools – Discover innovative ways to track hive health and productivity.

This expanded edition also features a fresh, user-friendly design with larger, easy-to-read text, a clearer structure for quick reference, and dozens of new, vibrant photos that bring beekeeping to life.

With trusted guidance from Kim Flottum, editor emeritus of Bee Culture magazine, you’ll gain the confidence and know-how to cultivate healthy, productive bees and enjoy the sweet rewards of your own hive.

Start your beekeeping journey today—naturally, sustainably, and successfully. – Quarry Books

Beekeeping for Gardeners: the Complete Step-to-Step Guide to Keeping Bees in your Garden by Richard Rickitt

A comprehensive gardener’s guide to sustainable beekeeping.

Beekeeping has changed. While once it was a hobby that pursued the rich rewards of honey and wax, many new beekeepers now instead seek the gratification of knowing that they are aiding the survival of one of the world’s most important creatures. Keeping bees today is as much about providing the right habitats and resources to help pollinators thrive as it is about chasing every drop of golden honey.

This beautifully illustrated guide to the ancient hobby of beekeeping shows today’s gardeners how to create beautiful gardens that are richly rewarding for people and bees alike. Flowers, shrubs, trees and vegetable plots can provide colourful beauty and delicious produce as well as vital pollen and nectar when bees need it the most. There are lists of the top-performing plants and how and where to grow them, including window boxes, lawns, borders, wild gardens and even ponds.

Beekeeping for Gardeners looks at the pleasures and benefits of keeping honey bees in gardens of all types and sizes, both rural and urban. It explains the practicalities involved in keeping bees in the domestic garden setting, as well as on rooftops, allotments, parks, farmland and other locations. Importantly, and unlike any book before, this guide sets the delightful hobby of beekeeping within the context of the wider environment, asking how it can best serve the needs of all types of pollinator and the local ecology in general.

Whether you’re looking to attract more bumblebees and solitary bees or want to install a beehive, this wonderful book contains all the guidance you’ll need to have a garden buzzing with bees. – Green Books

Buzz: the Nature and Necessity of Bees by Thor Hanson

Bees are like oxygen: ubiquitous, essential, and, for the most part, unseen. While we might overlook them, they lie at the heart of relationships that bind the human and natural worlds. In Buzz, the beloved Thor Hanson takes us on a journey that begins 125 million years ago, when a wasp first dared to feed pollen to its young. From honeybees and bumbles to lesser-known diggers, miners, leafcutters, and masons, bees have long been central to our harvests, our mythologies, and our very existence. They’ve given us sweetness and light, the beauty of flowers, and as much as a third of the foodstuffs we eat. And, alarmingly, they are at risk of disappearing.

As informative and enchanting as the waggle dance of a honeybee, Buzz shows us why all bees are wonders to celebrate and protect. Read this book and you’ll never overlook them again. – Basic Books

A Honeybee Heart has Five Openings: A Year of Keeping Bees by Helen Jukes

A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings begins as the author is entering her thirties and feeling disconnected in her life. Uneasy about her future and struggling to settle into her new house in Oxford with its own small garden, she is brought back to a time of accompanying a friend in London—a beekeeper—on his hive visits. And as a gesture of good fortune for her new life, she is given a colony of honeybees. According to folklore, a colony, freely given, brings good luck, and Helen Jules embarks on a rewarding, perilous journey of becoming a beekeeper.

Jukes writes about what it means to “keep” wild creatures; on how to live alongside beings whose laws and logic are so different from our own . . . She delves into the history of beekeeping and writes about discovering the ancient, haunting, sometimes disturbing relationship between keeper and bee, human and wild thing.

A Honeybee Heart Has Five Openings is a book of observation, of the irrepressible wildness of these fascinating creatures, of the ways they seem to evade our categories each time we attempt to define them. Are they wild or domestic? Individual or collective? Is honey an animal product or is it plant-based? As the author’s colony grows, the questions that have, at first compelled her interest to fade away, and the inbetweenness, the unsettledness of honeybees call for a different kind of questioning, of consideration.

A subtle yet urgent mediation on uncertainty and hope, on solitude and friendship, on feelings of restlessness and on home; on how we might better know ourselves. A book that shows us how to be alert to the large and small creatures that flit between and among us and that urge us to learn from this vital force so necessary to be continuation of life on planet Earth. – Pantheon

Bonus Cozy Mystery!

Take the Honey and Run by Jennie Marts (book 1 in the Bee Keeping Mystery series)

As a successful mystery author, Bailey Briggs writes about murder, but nothing prepares her for actually discovering the dead body of the founder of her hometown of Humble Hills, Colorado. Bailey grew up at Honeybuzz Mountain Ranch and was raised by her beekeeping grandmother, Blossom Briggs, aka Granny Bee, and her two eccentric sisters, Aster and Marigold—which is why she drops everything to come home and help Granny Bee after a bad fall.

A broken foot doesn’t stop her grandmother from ruling The Hive, her granny’s book club, or continuing to prepare and package her bee-inspired products. But when Bailey’s grandmother’s infamous “Honey I’m Home” hot spiced honey turns out to “bee” the murder weapon and her granny is now the prime suspect, Bailey has no choice but to use her fictional detective skills to help solve the murder and “smoke out” the real culprit.

With the help of Bailey’s witty bestie, a pair of meddling aunts, the feisty members of The Hive, and her computer-savvy daughter, this amateur sleuth is determined to solve the case. A malicious attack and an ominous threat reveal that someone wants Bailey to butt out of the investigation, but there’s no way she’s backing down. She must use her skills to uncover the truth and catch the clever culprit before her grandmother ends up bee-hind bars. – Crooked Lane Books

Children’s Books about Autistic Characters

April 9, 2025March 31, 2025 - Stephanie Leave a comment

April is Autism Acceptance Month. Even though I’m a firm believer in learning year-round, months that highlight different groups are important to spread the word and showcase positivity and acceptance beyond awareness. To honor the identities and experiences of Autistic individuals, I have been researching children’s books about Autistic characters to share this month. All of the books I chose below are co-written or written by Autistic authors. Bonus, these picture books and middle grade fiction all have Autistic characters! All of these books are owned by the Davenport Public Library at the time of this writing. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

A Day with No Words by Tiffany Hammond

Aidan doesn’t talk with words. He uses a tablet, tapping buttons with pictures to show what he means.

When Mama taps “Park . . . now?” Aidan quickly taps back “Yes.” And after Aidan twirls and twirls in the grass until he can no longer stand, he taps, “All done.”

Not everyone understands their family’s unique way of communicating, though. Some think that because Aidan doesn’t say words, he doesn’t know words. But verbal speech isn’t the only way we can connect with others. We can use tablets and letter boards, facial expressions, hand gestures, and written words.

With tenderness and heart, A Day with No Words illuminates the many unique ways people can understand each other, even if they don’t speak. – Bloomsbury Children’s Books

A Kind of Spark by Elle McNicoll

Ever since Ms. Murphy told us about the witch trials that happened centuries ago right here in Juniper, I can’t stop thinking about them. Those people weren’t magic. They were like me. Different like me.

I’m autistic. I see things that others do not. I hear sounds that they can ignore. And sometimes I feel things all at once. I think about the witches, with no one to speak for them. Not everyone in our small town understands. But if I keep trying, maybe someone will. I won’t let the witches be forgotten. Because there is more to their story. Just like there is more to mine.

Award-winning and neurodivergent author Elle McNicoll delivers an insightful and stirring debut about the European witch trials and a girl who refuses to relent in the fight for what she knows is right. – Yearling

The View from the Very Best House in Town by Meera Trehan

Sam and Asha. Asha and Sam. Their friendship is so long established, they take it for granted. Just as Asha takes for granted that Donnybrooke, the mansion that sits on the highest hill in Coreville, is the best house in town. But when Sam is accepted into snobbish Castleton Academy as an autistic “Miracle Boy,” he leaves Asha, who is also autistic, to navigate middle school alone. He also leaves her wondering if she can take anything for granted anymore. Because soon Sam is spending time with Prestyn, Asha’s nemesis, whose family owns Donnybrooke and, since a housewarming party gone wrong, has forbidden Asha to set foot inside. Who is Asha without Sam? And who will she be when it becomes clear that Prestyn’s interest in her friend isn’t so friendly? Told from the points of view of Asha, Sam, and Donnybrooke itself, this suspenseful and highly original novel explores issues of ableism and classism as it delves into the mysteries of what makes a person a friend and a house a home. – Walker Books US

Moonwalking by Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Punk rock-loving JJ Pankowski can’t seem to fit in at his new school in Greenpoint, Brooklyn, as one of the only white kids. Pie Velez, a math and history geek by day and graffiti artist by night is eager to follow in his idol, Jean-Michel Basquiat’s, footsteps. The boys stumble into an unlikely friendship, swapping notes on their love of music and art, which sees them through a difficult semester at school and at home. But a run-in with the cops threatens to unravel it all.

From authors Zetta Elliott and Lyn Miller-Lachmann, Moonwalking is a stunning exploration of class, cross-racial friendships, and two boys’ search for belonging in a city as tumultuous and beautiful as their hearts. – Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

Bitsy Bat, School Star by Kaz Windness

Bitsy is a little bat with big star dreams of making friends at her new school. But when she arrives, Bitsy doesn’t feel like she fits in. The other kids sit on their chairs, but sitting upright makes Bitsy dizzy. The other kids paint with their fingers, but Bitsy would rather use her toes. Everyone tells Bitsy she’s doing things wrong-wrong-wrong, so she tries harder…and ends up having a five-star meltdown.

Now Bitsy feels like a very small star and doesn’t want to go back to school. But with help from her family, Bitsy musters her courage, comes up with a new plan, and discovers that being a good friend is just one of the ways she shines bright! – Simon & Schuster / Paula Wiseman Books

It Was Supposed to be Sunny by Samantha Cotterill

Laila feels like her sparkly sunshine birthday celebration is on the brink of ruin when it starts to storm. Then, just as she starts feeling okay with moving her party indoors, an accident with her cake makes her want to call the whole thing off. But with the help of her mom and a little alone time with her service dog, she knows she can handle this.

Changes in routine can be hard for any kid, but especially for kids on the autism spectrum. Samantha Cotterill’s fourth book in the Little Senses series provides gentle guidance along with adorable illustrations to help every kid navigate schedule changes and overwhelming social situations. – Dial Books

Talking is Not My Thing by Rose Robbins

This little sister might not use words, but she’s got plenty to say! Narrated through thought bubbles, this energetic book invites readers into the day of a nonverbal girl with autism. She has so much to do—games to play, spaghetti to eat, and a missing stuffed animal to find! Sometimes life can be noisy and overwhelming, but something new is always around the corner. Talking isn’t the only way to make a joke, ask for Grandma’s help, or surprise your brother…

Illustrated in bright colors, Talking Is Not My Thing is a joyful portrait of neurodiverse family life. – Eerdmans Books for Young Readers

Ways to Play by Lyn Miller-Lachmann

Riley has plenty of ways to play; like lining up dolls and stuffies by size and shape. Tearing up newspapers and making piles into mountains, using sharp crayons to draw big swirly patterns. But bossy cousin Emma thinks those ways are wrong, wrong, and wrong. And she makes no bones about letting Riley know exactly what her opinion is. Fortunately, Charlie the dog is on hand to help with a breakthrough demonstration that there are MANY ways to play; and all of them are right.

Based on experiences that Lyn Miller Lachman had growing up as an Autistic child and illustrated with the humor, tenderness and understanding that perhaps only an artist like Gabriel Alborozo, himself an Autistic creator, could bring, here is an empowering validation of the value of individual expression. And a whole lot of fun. – Levine Querido

A Boy Called Bat by Elana K. Arnold

The first book in a funny, heartfelt, and irresistible young middle grade series starring an unforgettable young boy on the autism spectrum.

For Bixby Alexander Tam (nicknamed Bat), life tends to be full of surprises—some of them good, some not so good. Today, though, is a good-surprise day. Bat’s mom, a veterinarian, has brought home a baby skunk, which she needs to take care of until she can hand him over to a wild-animal shelter.

But the minute Bat meets the kit, he knows they belong together. And he’s got one month to show his mom that a baby skunk might just make a pretty terrific pet. – Walden Pond Press

Nick and the Brick Builder Challenge by Jen Malia

When the Infinity Rainbow Club at school competes in a brick builder challenge, Nick can’t wait to participate! Until he learns he must have a partner–the new girl. Nick wants to work alone. But to win, he’ll have to figure out how to be part of a team.

A story about the universal struggle of learning to work together on a team, told from the perspective of an autistic child.

The Infinity Rainbow Club is a chapter book series featuring five neurodivergent children in a club at their elementary school. The club provides a safe space for stims and different communication styles to be accepted and celebrated. – Beaming Books

Can You See Me? by Libby Scott

Things Tally is dreading about sixth grade:

— Being in classes without her best friends

— New (scratchy) uniforms

— Hiding her autism

Tally isn’t ashamed of being autistic — even if it complicates life sometimes, it’s part of who she is. But this is her first year at Kingswood Academy, and her best friend, Layla, is the only one who knows. And while a lot of other people are uncomfortable around Tally, Layla has never been one of them . . . until now.

Something is different about sixth grade, and Tally now feels like she has to act “normal.” But as Tally hides her true self, she starts to wonder what “normal” means after all and whether fitting in is really what matters most.

Inspired by young coauthor Libby Scott’s own experiences with autism, this is an honest and moving middle-school story of friends, family, and finding one’s place. – Scholastic Press

Ellen Outside the Lines by A.J. Sass

Thirteen-year-old Ellen Katz feels most comfortable when her life is well planned out and people fit neatly into her predefined categories. She attends temple with Abba and Mom every Friday and Saturday. Ellen only gets crushes on girls, never boys, and she knows she can always rely on her best-and-only friend, Laurel, to help navigate social situations at their private Georgia middle school. Laurel has always made Ellen feel like being autistic is no big deal. But lately, Laurel has started making more friends, and cancelling more weekend plans with Ellen than she keeps. A school trip to Barcelona seems like the perfect place for Ellen to get their friendship back on track. Except it doesn’t. Toss in a new nonbinary classmate whose identity has Ellen questioning her very binary way of seeing the world, homesickness, a scavenger hunt-style team project that takes the students through Barcelona to learn about Spanish culture and this trip is anything but what Ellen planned.

Making new friends and letting go of old ones is never easy, but Ellen might just find a comfortable new place for herself if she can learn to embrace the fact that life doesn’t always stick to a planned itinerary. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Get a Grip, Vivy Cohen by Sarah Kapit

Vivy Cohen is determined. She’s had enough of playing catch in the park. She’s ready to pitch for a real baseball team.

But Vivy’s mom is worried about Vivy being the only girl on the team, and the only autistic kid. She wants Vivy to forget about pitching, but Vivy won’t give up. When her social skills teacher makes her write a letter to someone, Vivy knows exactly who to choose: her hero, Major League pitcher VJ Capello. Then two amazing things happen: A coach sees Vivy’s amazing knuckleball and invites her to join his team. And VJ starts writing back!

Now Vivy is a full-fledged pitcher, with a catcher as a new best friend and a steady stream of advice from VJ. But when a big accident puts her back on the bench, Vivy has to fight to stay on the team. – Dial Books

Planet Earth is Blue by Nicole Panteleakos

Twelve-year-old Nova is eagerly awaiting the launch of the space shuttle Challenger–it’s the first time a teacher is going into space, and kids across America will watch the event on live TV in their classrooms. Nova and her big sister, Bridget, share a love of astronomy and the space program. They planned to watch the launch together. But Bridget has disappeared, and Nova is in a new foster home.

While foster families and teachers dismiss Nova as severely autistic and nonverbal, Bridget understands how intelligent and special Nova is, and all that she can’t express. As the liftoff draws closer, Nova’s new foster family and teachers begin to see her potential, and for the first time, she is making friends without Bridget. But every day, she’s counting down to the launch, and to the moment when she’ll see Bridget again. Because as Bridget said, “No matter what, I’ll be there. I promise.” – Yearling

The Someday Birds by Sally J. Pla

Charlie’s perfectly ordinary life has been unraveling ever since his war journalist father was injured in Afghanistan.

When his father heads from California to Virginia for medical treatment, Charlie reluctantly travels cross-country with his boy-crazy sister, unruly brothers, and a mysterious new family friend. He decides that if he can spot all the birds that he and his father were hoping to see someday along the way, then everything might just turn out okay.

Debut author Sally J. Pla has written a tale that is equal parts madcap road trip, coming-of-age story for an autistic boy who feels he doesn’t understand the world, and an uplifting portrait of a family overcoming a crisis. – HarperCollins

Fall Festival Romance Reads

October 9, 2024September 26, 2024 - Beth Leave a comment

Fall festivals are a popular way for communities to come together and celebrate the changing of the seasons with food, music, and fun. For the heroines of these romances, the festival in their small town also leads to love! Descriptions from the publishers.

The Hollywood Jinx by Sariah Wilson

The small town of Patience needs a financial boost. Temporary librarian and aspiring film-score composer Jane Wagner’s plan? Invite movie star Nick Haddon to the town’s harvest festival and stand back for the tourist surge. No one thought he’d say yes — much less that he’d bring a documentary crew to stream his visit. Patience is the perfect stopover on Nick’s journey of self-improvement and his chance to put good karma out in the universe. Spending time with a lovely guide like Jane is a bonus. Jane is falling hard. But she can’t ignore the differences between them. He’s famous. She isn’t. He’s here for two weeks. This is her home. Where can it possibly lead?

The Inn on Sweetbriar Lane by Jeannie Chin

June Wu’s family inn desperately needs guests, her mother’s medical debts are piling up, and the surly, if sexy, stranger next door is driving away the customers she has left! When he asks for June’s help, though, she can’t say no. After all, his new bar could be just what the upcoming Pumpkin Festival needs to bring in more tourists. Ex-soldier Clay Hawthorne is opening the bar in memory of his fallen friend. June soon becomes his biggest supporter, and while their partnership is supposed to be only temporary, for the first time Clay wants something permanent. Can two opposites really learn to meet each other in the middle? With the fierce attraction between them, will working together be playing with fire?

The Nearness of You by Dorothy Garlock

Lily Denton dreams about the people and excitement of New York City. But ever since her mother died, her overprotective father won’t ease up on her. She spends her days working at the library and her nights hoping life doesn’t pass her by. At the Fall Festival, tourists fill the streets and the crisp autumn air sneaks in. Professional photographer Boone Tatum’s penchant for trouble is exactly what landed him in this small town in the first place. Yet the moment he meets beautiful Lily and snaps her photograph, everything changes. Lily and Boone’s dream of a life together is thrown into peril — unless Lily finds the courage to stand up for herself and a man she only just met.

The Lost Bookshop by Evie Woods

August 5, 2024June 27, 2024 - Stephanie Leave a comment

“I couldn’t explain it, not even to myself, but books gave me an unflinching sense of stability and groundedness. That because words survived, somehow I would too.”
― Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

Hidden stories swirl beneath the surface in Evie Woods’ debut novel, The Lost Bookshop. Opaline, Martha, and Henry have been pushed around and shunted to the sides of their own lives. Desperate to escape, they start down paths that will change their stories forever.

In the past, Opaline is facing off with her brother. His plans for her are not what she wants, so she looks for a way out that eventually leads her to a magical, mysterious bookshop. In the present, Martha is an Irish woman trying to escape her abusive marriage. Leaving her husband, she finds work as a housekeeper for a mysterious woman in an even more mysterious house that comes alive the longer Martha works there. One day, Martha sees Henry pacing outside her bedroom window. Henry is a scholar who has made his way to Dublin to find a missing manuscript and a lost bookshop that should be right next to where Martha lives. Henry and Martha work together to find the history of the bookshop and what happened to the people involved.

This was a lovely read. I adored listening to Opaline, Martha, and Henry tell their stories across time. This is a dual timeline, so readers (and listeners) need to pay attention! Evie Woods pulled together the timelines, characters, and storylines in such a way that almost everything is resolved at the end. Woven into the storylines were multiple classic books, manuscripts, and their authors. Sylvia Beach and her bookshop Shakespeare & Company played a large part, as well as famous authors who dropped in to help the characters on their self-discovery journeys. Pick up this book if you’re looking for a bit of magic, myth, historical fiction, or have a deep love of anything literature. You’ll be transported to Ireland and the mysterious worlds of Opaline, Martha, and Henry as they work to find the lost bookshop and, by extension, themselves.

“The thing about books,’ she said, ‘is that they help you to imagine a life bigger and better than you could ever dream of.”
― Evie Woods, The Lost Bookshop

Read Your Emotions

July 11, 2024July 10, 2024 - Stephanie Leave a comment

With the popularity of Inside Out and now Inside Out 2, we wanted to highlight some children’s books that made us feel! Below you will find a list of books that inspire joy, sadness, anger, disgust, fear, envy, anxiety, nostalgia, embarrassment, and ennui. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

JOY

This Joy! by Shelley Johannes

In this poetic and buoyant story from author-illustrator Shelley Johannes, a young child tries to measure the size of her joy and the depth of her gratitude as she embraces the beauty of the day. Reveling in simple wonders with unbridled enthusiasm, This Joy! celebrates living with arms wide open—because today is a gift! – Abrams Books for Young Readers

A Piglet named Mercy by Kate DiCamillo

Mr. Watson and Mrs. Watson live ordinary lives. Sometimes their lives feel a bit too ordinary. Sometimes they wish something different would happen. And one day it does, when someone unpredictable finds her way to their front door. In a delightful origin story for the star of the Mercy Watson series, a tiny piglet brings love (and chaos) to Deckawoo Drive — and the Watsons’ lives will never be the same. – Candlewick Press

Hug Machine by Scott Campbell

Watch out world, here he comes! The Hug Machine! Whether you are big, or small, or square, or long, or spikey, or soft, no one can resist his unbelievable hugs! HUG ACCOMPLISHED! This endearing story encourages a warm, caring, and buoyantly affectionate approach to life. Everyone deserves a hug—and this book! – Little Simon

SADNESS

Fluffy McWhiskers: Cuteness Explosion by Stephen W Martin

Meet Fluffy—an adorable kitten. So adorable, in fact, that anyone who sees her will spontaneously explode into balls of sparkles and fireworks. KABOOM! Poof. Poor Fluffy doesn’t want anyone to get hurt, but everything she tries, even a bad haircut, just makes her cuter! So Fluffy runs away someplace no one can find her. Find out if there’s any hope for Fluffy in this funny and subversive story about self-acceptance and finding friendship in unlikely places. – Margaret K. McElderry Books

You’ll Find Me by Amanda Rawson Hill

Loss becomes remembrance in this book that offers tender ways to pay tribute to, and meaningfully incorporate, a loved one’s lost presence into present and future life experiences. Be it departed friends, family, pets, and more, memories can carry us beyond the precious moments we have together to keep the ones we loved before in mind forever.

Throughout the book the omnipresent narrator encourages thoughtful reflection on the empty spaces left by the loss. The gentle scenes portrayed inspire recovery from sadness and honor those who are absent. This lyrical heartful story provides consent and gently encourage readers to move to a place of peace and acceptance despite the absence. – Magination Press

Outside, Inside by LeUyen Pham

From Caldecott honoree LeUyen Pham, Outside, Inside is a moving picture book that captures the unforgettable moment during the pandemic when people all over the world came together. It celebrates the essential workers, frontline workers, and communities that worked with each other to protect our loved ones. – Roaring Book Press

ANGER

I Want My Hat Back! by Jon Klassen

The bear’s hat is gone, and he wants it back. Patiently and politely, he asks the animals he comes across, one by one, whether they have seen it. Each animal says no, some more elaborately than others. But just as the bear begins to despond, a deer comes by and asks a simple question that sparks the bear’s memory and renews his search with a vengeance. Told completely in dialogue, this delicious take on the classic repetitive tale plays out in sly illustrations laced with visual humor — and winks at the reader with a wry irreverence that will have kids of all ages thrilled to be in on the joke. – Candlewick Press

The Day the Crayons Quit by Drew Daywalt

Poor Duncan just wants to color. But when he opens his box of crayons, he finds only letters, all saying the same thing: His crayons have had enough! They quit! Blue crayon needs a break from coloring all those bodies of water. Black crayon wants to be used for more than just outlining. And Orange and Yellow are no longer speaking—each believes he is the true color of the sun. What can Duncan possibly do to appease all of the crayons and get them back to doing what they do best? – Philomel Books

Beneath by Cory Doerrfeld

Finn is in a horrible mood and doesn’t want to talk about it. After some persuading, though, they agree to go for a hike with Grandpa. Throughout their forest walk, they see many different things: big, strong trees with networks of roots growing underneath, still water with schools of fish swimming below, and an expectant bird with eggs nestled under her. It’s when the pair pass fellow hikers that Finn realizes that people, just like the elements of nature, are more than they appear. Grandpa explains that sometimes beneath a person who seems like they won’t understand what you’re feeling, is someone feeling the exact same way. – Little, Brown and Company

DISGUST

People Don’t Bite People by Lisa Wheeler

Lisa Wheeler and Caldecott Honor–winning illustrator Molly Idle remind overeager little biters that biting is for food in this hysterical read-aloud picture book. Learning good behavior has never been so fun! – Atheneum

Dandy by Ame Dyckman

When Daddy spots a solitary weed in his lawn, he’s appalled (along with all of his neighborhood friends). But his daughter Sweetie has fallen in love with the beautiful flower, even going so far as to name it Charlotte. Racing against time and the mockery of his friends, Daddy has to find a way to get rid of the errant dandelion without breaking his little girl’s heart. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

I Really Like Slop by Mo Willems

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In I Really Like Slop!, Piggie invites Gerald to try her favorite food . . . slop. But Gerald is not so sure he’s going to like it. At all. – Hyperion Books for Children

FEAR

Dude! by Aaron Reynolds

Dude! You have to read this book.

It’s totally about this platypus and this beaver who are friends. They want to go surfing but dude, there’s this shark who’s in the ocean, too.

But don’t worry. This shark approaches and you’ll never guess what happens. – Roaring Brook Press

Creepy Carrots! by Aaron Reynolds

Jasper Rabbit loves carrots—especially Crackenhopper Field carrots.
He eats them on the way to school.
He eats them going to Little League.
He eats them walking home.
Until the day the carrots start following him…or are they?
Celebrated artist Peter Brown’s stylish illustrations pair perfectly with Aaron Reynold’s text in this hilarious picture book that shows it’s all fun and games…until you get too greedy. – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

That is not a Good Idea! by Mo Willems

Inspired by the evil villains and innocent damsels of silent movies, Willems tells the tale of a hungry fox who invites a plump goose to dinner. As with the beloved Pigeon books, kids will be calling out the signature refrain and begging for repeated readings. The funny details in the full-color illustrations by three-time Caldecott Honoree Mo Willems will bring nonstop laughter to story time. – Balzar + Bray

ENVY

My New Friend is so fun by Mo Willems

Gerald is careful. Piggie is not.
Piggie cannot help smiling. Gerald can.
Gerald worries so that Piggie does not have to.

Gerald and Piggie are best friends.

In My New Friend Is So Fun! Piggie has found a new friend! But is Gerald ready to share? – Hyperion Books for Children

Wilfred by Ryan T Higgins

Once upon a time, in a land far, far away, there lived a humongous and hairy giant named Wilfred. Whenever people saw him, they ran away, which made life very lonely for Wilfred. That is, until he found himself in a rather unusual town where one brave little boy saw something special in the timid giant. So begins a story of friendship and sacrifice that will remind readers just how important one voice – no matter how small – can be. – Dial Books

His Royal Highness, King Baby: a Terrible True Story by Sally Lloyd-Jones

Once upon a time there was a happy family: A mom, a dad, a gerbil, and the most beautifulest, cleverest, ever so kindest Princess. . . .

On one horrible day, a new ruler is born into a young princess’s family — a ruler she dubs His Royal Highness, King Baby. This small interloper is so smelly. He is so noisy. And all the talk in the Land is about him (“Such a nice burp!” “Oh, what a lovely poo-poo!”), nonstop, ALL THE TIME! Has there ever been such an era of wicked rule? With whimsy and sympathy, Sally Lloyd-Jones tells a satisfying tale of usurped attention — and rapprochement — that every big brother or sister will relate to, while illustrator David Roberts captures all the hilarious details of a child’s active imagination. – Candlewick

ANXIETY

What if I’m not a cat? by Kari-Lynn Winters

A sweet, playful story about identity – and what it means to belong.

Why, of course Donkey’s a cat. He spends all his time with the other cats on the farm. He licks his fur and pounces, just like they do. He even cuddles with them at nap time. Though, he must admit, sometimes he does feel … a little off. So, when Farmer says to him, “Donkey, you’re acting like a cat!” it gets him thinking. What if he’s not a cat? And if not, then what is he? Will going off on his own help Donkey figure out what he is and where he belongs? – Kids Can Press

Bathe the Cat by Alice B McGinty

Cats + water: What could go wrong? This riotous romp of a picture book follows a frantic family as they try to get some chores done—with no help from the family cat, who keeps scrambling the list of chores to hilarious effect. Get ready for a rollicking read-aloud with a truly purrfect ending.

It’s cleaning day, but the family cat will do anything to avoid getting a bath. So instead of mopping the floor or feeding the fish, the family is soon busy rocking the rug, vacuuming the lawn, and sweeping the dishes. Bouncy rhyme carries the story headlong into the growing hilarity, until finally Dad restores some kind of order—but will the cat avoid getting his whiskers wet? – Chronicle Books

Lila Greer, Teacher of the Year by Andrea Beaty

Lila Greer is full of worries. Even the smallest things—from cabbages to cardboard—fill her with dread and what-ifs. So when her family makes a big change—moving to a new town—the worry and what-ifs only grow. What if things go wrong? What if no one likes her?

At first, Lila feels right to be worried. In her new home, everything is strange. The new kids, the new smells. Lila feels alone and invisible. But there’s one person who sees her: Lila’s teacher, Ms. Kern. Through some creativity, blackboard erasers, and—most of all—kindness, Ms. Kern finds a way to make Lila feel welcome and open to new experiences. A lesson that will resonate with Lila long after second grade. – Abrams Books for Young Readers

NOSTALGIA

This is the Rope by Jacqueline Woodson

The story of one family’s journey north during the Great Migration starts with a little girl in South Carolina who finds a rope under a tree one summer. She has no idea the rope will become part of her family’s history. But for three generations, that rope is passed down, used for everything from jump rope games to tying suitcases onto a car for the big move north to New York City, and even for a family reunion where that first little girl is now a grandmother. – Nancy Paulsen Books

I had a Favorite Dress by Boni Ashburn

This is a lively, energetic story about adjusting when you need to and being creative when you have to. As the year passes, the narrator’s favorite dress goes through a series of creative changes, from dress to shirt to tank top to scarf and so on, until all that’s left of it is a good memory. Assisted by her patient and crafty mama, the narrator finds that when disaster strikes her favorite things, she doesn’t need to make mountains out of molehills—she “makes molehills out of mountains” instead!

Structured around the days of the week, the story is also illustrated to show the passing of the seasons, a perfect complement to the themes of growing older and keeping hold (and letting go) of special mementos. The collaged mixed-media full-color illustrations of watercolors, graphite, colored pencil, and needle and thread give this unique and charming story its bounce and flounce. Breezy in style, the artwork smartly stitches each scene of alteration as the not-so-little girl sashays through the days of the week and the seasons.

This modernized version of a traditional folk tale will delight new audiences of parents and children who will learn that everything old can really become new again. – Abrams Books for Young Readers

In Every Life by Marla Frazee

In every life, there is love and loss, hope and joy, wonder and mystery. With glowing art and spare, powerful text, Caldecott Honor–winning creator Marla Frazee celebrates the moments, feelings, and experiences, both big and small, that make up a life. – Beach Lane Books

EMBARRASSMENT

Zorro gets an outfit by Carter Goodrich

Mister Bud and Zorro get along just great. They wake up together, have walk time together, and take naps together. But something is about to interrupt their schedule: Zorro has to wear a fancy outfit.

Zorro is embarassed, mortified, aghast. Mr. Bud tries to cheer him up, but nothing works. Everyone makes fun of Zorro, and he refuses to participate in chew-on-a-stick time. Mister Bud doesn’t know what to do.

But when another dog—a very cool dog—shows up in an outfit and does amazing tricks and beats all the other dogs in a race, Zorro discovers that wearing clothes might not be so bad after all.

Everything is back on schedule. – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

Something’s Wrong! : a bear, a hare, and some underwear by Jory John

Oh-no. Jeff the bear has definitely forgotten something.

He ate his breakfast, he watered his plant, he combed his fur…what could it be? Why does he feel so oddly off?? He asks his friend Anders the rabbit what could possibly be wrong. It couldn’t have anything to do with the fact that he’s wearing underwear…over his fur…could it? – Farrar, Straus and Giroux

President Taft is Stuck in the Bath by Mac Barnett

George Washington crossed the Delaware in the dead of night. Abraham Lincoln saved the Union. And President William Howard Taft, a man of great stature . . . well, he got stuck in a bathtub. Now how did he get unstuck? – Candlewick

ENNUI

There’s Nothing to Do! by Dev Petty

Frog is bored. He can’t find ANYTHING to do—even when his animal friends make good suggestions, like sleeping all day, licking between his toes, or hopping around and then staring off into space. Will he find a fun and exciting way to spend his day? Featuring the beloved characters from I Don’t Want to Be a Frog and I Don’t Want to Be Big, this new story is sure to bring a smile to every kid who’s ever said “There’s nothing to do!” – Dragonfly Books

The Boring Book by Shinsuke Yoshitake

The Boring Book is a humorous picture book that follows the story of one particularly bored boy.

As the story progresses, our protagonist discovers there’s actually more to boredom than what meets the eye—more questions, more theories, and heaps of humor.

This exploration of boredom from acclaimed author-illustrator Shinsuke Yoshitake playfully—and hilariously—unpacks the ways in which a seemingly stagnant state is actually a portal into a dynamic, life-enriching experience. – Chronicle Books

Can I Be Your Dog? by Troy Cummings

Arfy is a homeless mutt who lives in a box in an alley. Arfy writes to every person on Butternut Street about what a great pet he’d make. His letters to prospective owners share that he’s house broken! He has his own squeaky bone! He can learn to live with cats! But, no one wants him. Won’t anyone open their heart–and home–to a lonesome dog? Readers will be happily surprised to learn just who steps up to adopt Arfy.

Troy Cummings’s hilarious and touching story is a perfect gift for a child wanting a dog, and for pet adoption advocates. It also showcases many different styles of letter writing, making it appealing to parents and teachers looking to teach the lost art of written communication. – Dragonfly Books

Looking for more books on emotions? Check out Vega, our online catalog, give us a call at 563-326-7832, or comment below!

Explore Mars in both fiction and nonfiction

July 5, 2024June 12, 2024 - Beth Leave a comment

NASA completes a year-long Mars mission called CHAPEA (Crew Health and Performance Exploration Analog) on July 6, 2024. For 378 days, four ordinary people — with master’s degrees in a STEM field — have been living in Mars Dune Alpha, a 1,700-square-foot habitat built inside a warehouse at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA has not shared many details about the experiment except to say participants will experience “resource limitations, equipment failure, communication delays and other environmental stressors.”

While those participants will be getting a taste of what it may be like to live on Mars, you can explore the Red Planet in your own mind with materials from the Davenport Public Library. Here’s a small sample of what’s available. (Summaries provided by the publishers.)

Non-fiction book: The new world on Mars : what we can create on the red planet by Robert Zurbrin

SpaceX, Blue Origin, and Virgin Galactic are building fleets of space vehicles to make interplanetary travel as affordable as Old-World passage to America. We will settle on Mars, and with our knowledge of the planet, analyzed in depth by Dr. Zubrin, we will utilize the resources and tackle the challenges that await us. What will we build? Populous Martian city-states producing air, water, food, power, and more. Zubrin’s Martian economy will pay for necessary imports and generate income from varied enterprises, such as real estate sales–homes that are airtight and protect against cosmic space radiation, with fish-farm aquariums positioned overhead, letting in sunlight and blocking cosmic rays while providing fascinating views. Zubrin even predicts the Red Planet customs, social relations, and government — of the people, by the people, for the people, with inalienable individual rights — that will overcome traditional forms of oppression to draw Earth immigrants. After all, Mars needs talent.

Documentary on DVD: Space : the longest goodbye

In the next decade, NASA will send astronauts to Mars for the first time. Separated from Earth, and unable to communicate with the ground in real-time, crew members will experience extreme isolation that could gravely affect their three-year journey. This Sundance-premiering documentary follows a savvy NASA psychologist tasked with protecting daring space explorers. Ido Mizrahy’s documentary “Space : the longest goodbye,” explores issues facing plans for a manned mission to Mars. The challenge is to not only figure out how to physically prepare astronauts for 3+ years in space, but also psychologically.

Fiction book: Girlfriend on Mars by Deborah Willis

Amber Kivinen is moving to Mars. Or at least, she will be if she wins a chance to join MarsNow. She and 23 reality TV contestants from around the world — including attractive Israeli soldier Adam, endearing fellow Canadian Pichu, and an assortment of science nerds and wannabe influencers — are competing for two seats on the first human-led mission to Mars, sponsored by billionaire Geoff Task. Meanwhile Kevin, Amber’s boyfriend of 14 years, was content going nowhere until Amber left him — and their hydroponic weed business — behind. Since the technology to come home doesn’t exist yet, would Amber really leave everything behind to be a billionaire’s Martian guinea pig? Sure, the rainforest is burning, Geoff Task has bought New Zealand, and Kevin might be a little depressed, but isn’t there some hope left for life on Earth?

Science fiction book: The strange by Nathan Ballingrud

New Galveston, Mars: Fourteen-year-old Anabelle Crisp sets off through the wastelands of the Strange to find Silas Mundt’s gang who have stolen her mother’s voice, destroyed her father, and left her solely with a need for vengeance. Since Anabelle’s mother left for Earth to care for her own ailing mother, her days in New Galveston have been spent at school and her nights at her laconic father’s diner with Watson, the family Kitchen Engine and dishwasher as her only companion. When the Silence came, and communication and shipments from Earth to its colonies on Mars stopped, life seemed stuck in foreboding stasis until the night Silas Mundt and his gang attacked. Ballingrud’s novel is haunting in its evocation of Anabelle’s quest for revenge amidst a spent and angry world accompanied by a domestic Engine, a drunken space pilot, and the toughest woman on Mars.

2024 Pulitzer Prize Winners

June 11, 2024May 18, 2024 - Stephanie Leave a comment

The winners of the 2024 Pulitzer Prizes have been announced! You can watch the announcement video on the Pulitzer Prize website or read the media release. To celebrate the winners, we decided to highlight some of the winners and finalists. Below you will find the fiction winner and finalists, the biography winners, and the general nonfiction winner and finalists.

Reminder: what is written about below is not the complete list of 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners. For more information about the other 2024 Pulitzer Prize winners as well as past years’ winners, please check out their website.

Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Fiction

Winner

Night Watch by Jayne Anne Phillips

In 1874, in the wake of the War, erasure, trauma, and namelessness haunt civilians and veterans, renegades and wanderers, freedmen and runaways. Twelve-year-old ConaLee, the adult in her family for as long as she can remember, finds herself on a buckboard journey with her mother, Eliza, who hasn’t spoken in more than a year. They arrive at the Trans-Allegheny Lunatic Asylum in West Virginia, delivered to the hospital’s entrance by a war veteran who has forced himself into their world. There, far from family, a beloved neighbor, and the mountain home they knew, they try to reclaim their lives.

The omnipresent vagaries of war and race rise to the surface as we learn their story: their flight to the highest mountain ridges of western Virginia; the disappearance of ConaLee’s father, who left for the War and never returned. Meanwhile, in the asylum, they begin to find a new path. ConaLee pretends to be her mother’s maid; Eliza responds slowly to treatment. They get swept up in the life of the facility—the mysterious man they call the Night Watch; the orphan child called Weed; the fearsome woman who runs the kitchen; the remarkable doctor at the head of the institution. – Knopf

This title is also available in large print.

Finalists:

Same Bed Different Dreams by Ed Park

In 1919, far-flung patriots establish the Korean Provisional Government to protest the Japanese occupation of their country. This government-in-exile proves mostly symbolic, though, and after Japan’s defeat in World War II, the KPG dissolves and civil war erupts, resulting in the tragic North-South split that remains today.

But what if the KPG still existed—now working toward a unified Korea, secretly pulling levers to further its aims? Same Bed Different Dreams weaves together three distinct narrative voices with an archive of mysterious images, and twists reality like a kaleidoscope. Korean history, American pop culture, and our tech-fraught lives come together in this extraordinary and unforgettable novel.

Soon Sheen, a former writer now employed by the tech behemoth GLOAT, comes into possession of an unfinished book seemingly authored by the KPG. The manuscript is a riveting revisionist history, connecting famous names and obscure bit players to the KPG’s grand project—everyone from Syngman Rhee and architect-poet Yi Sang to Jack London and Marilyn Monroe. M*A*S*H is in here, too, as are the Moonies and a history of violence extending from the assassination of President McKinley to the Reagan-era downing of a passenger plane that puts the world on the brink of war. – Random House

Wednesday’s Child by Yiyun Li

A grieving mother makes a spreadsheet of everyone she’s lost. Elsewhere, a professor develops a troubled intimacy with her hairdresser. And every year, a restless woman receives an email from a strange man twice her age and several states away. In the stories of Wednesday’s Child, people strive for an ordinary existence until doing so becomes unsustainable, until the surface cracks and the grand mysterious forces—death, violence, estrangement—come to light. Even before such moments, everyday life is laden with meaning, studded with indelible details: a filched jar of honey, a mound of wounded ants, a photograph kept hidden for many years, until it must be seen.

Yiyun Li is a truly original writer, an alchemist of opposites: tender and unsentimental, metaphysical and blunt, funny and horrifying, omniscient and unusually aware of just how much we cannot know. Beloved for her novels and her memoir, she returns here to her earliest form, gathering pieces that have appeared in The New Yorker, Zoetrope, and other publications. Taken together, these stories, written over the span of a decade, articulate the cost, both material and emotional, of living—exile, assimilation, loss, love—with Li’s trademark unnerving beauty and wisdom. – Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Biography

Winners

King: A Life by Jonathan Eig

Vividly written and exhaustively researched, Jonathan Eig’s King: A Life is the first major biography in decades of the civil rights icon Martin Luther King Jr.—and the first to include recently declassified FBI files. In this revelatory new portrait of the preacher and activist who shook the world, the bestselling biographer gives us an intimate view of the courageous and often emotionally troubled human being who demanded peaceful protest for his movement but was rarely at peace with himself. He casts fresh light on the King family’s origins as well as MLK’s complex relationships with his wife, father, and fellow activists. King reveals a minister wrestling with his own human frailties and dark moods, a citizen hunted by his own government, and a man determined to fight for justice even if it proved to be a fight to the death. As he follows MLK from the classroom to the pulpit to the streets of Birmingham, Selma, and Memphis, Eig dramatically re-creates the journey of a man who recast American race relations and became our only modern-day founding father—as well as the nation’s most mourned martyr.

In this landmark biography, Eig gives us an MLK for our times: a deep thinker, a brilliant strategist, and a committed radical who led one of history’s greatest movements, and whose demands for racial and economic justice remain as urgent today as they were in his lifetime. – Farrar, Straus and Giroux

Master Slave Husband Wife: An Epic Journey from Slavery to Freedom by Ilyon Woo

In 1848, a year of international democratic revolt, a young, enslaved couple, Ellen and William Craft, achieved one of the boldest feats of self-emancipation in American history. Posing as master and slave, while sustained by their love as husband and wife, they made their escape together across more than 1,000 miles, riding out in the open on steamboats, carriages, and trains that took them from bondage in Georgia to the free states of the North.

Along the way, they dodged slave traders, military officers, and even friends of their enslavers, who might have revealed their true identities. The tale of their adventure soon made them celebrities, and generated headlines around the country. Americans could not get enough of this charismatic young couple, who traveled another 1,000 miles criss-crossing New England, drawing thunderous applause as they spoke alongside some of the greatest abolitionist luminaries of the day—among them Frederick Douglass and William Wells Brown.

But even then, they were not out of danger. With the passage of an infamous new Fugitive Slave Act in 1850, all Americans became accountable for returning refugees like the Crafts to slavery. Then yet another adventure began, as slave hunters came up from Georgia, forcing the Crafts to flee once again—this time from the United States, their lives and thousands more on the line and the stakes never higher. – 37 Ink

General Nonfiction

Winner

A Day in the Life of Abed Salama: Anatomy of a Jerusalem Tragedy by Nathan Thrall

Five-year-old Milad Salama is excited for a school trip to a theme park on the outskirts of Jerusalem. On the way, his bus collides with a semitrailer. His father, Abed, gets word of the crash and rushes to the site. The scene is chaos—the children have been taken to different hospitals in Jerusalem and the West Bank; some are missing, others cannot be identified. Abed sets off on an odyssey to learn Milad’s fate. It is every parent’s worst nightmare, but for Abed it is compounded by the maze of physical, emotional, and bureaucratic obstacles he must navigate because he is Palestinian. He is on the wrong side of the separation wall, holds the wrong ID to pass the military checkpoints, and has the wrong papers to enter the city of Jerusalem. Abed’s quest to find Milad is interwoven with the stories of a cast of Jewish and Palestinian characters whose lives and histories unexpectedly converge.

In A Day in the Life of Abed Salama, Nathan Thrall—hailed for his “severe allergy to conventional wisdom” (Time)—offers an indelibly human portrait of the struggle over Israel/Palestine and a new understanding of the tragic history and reality of one of the most contested places on earth. – Metropolitan Books

Finalists

Cobalt Red: How the Blood of the Congo Powers Our Lives by Siddharth Kara

Cobalt Red is the searing, first-ever exposé of the immense toll taken on the people and environment of the Democratic Republic of the Congo by cobalt mining, as told through the testimonies of the Congolese people themselves. Activist and researcher Siddharth Kara has traveled deep into cobalt territory to document the testimonies of the people living, working, and dying for cobalt. To uncover the truth about brutal mining practices, Kara investigated militia-controlled mining areas, traced the supply chain of child-mined cobalt from toxic pit to consumer-facing tech giants, and gathered shocking testimonies of people who endure immense suffering and even die mining cobalt.

Cobalt is an essential component to every lithium-ion rechargeable battery made today, the batteries that power our smartphones, tablets, laptops, and electric vehicles. Roughly 75 percent of the world’s supply of cobalt is mined in the Congo, often by peasants and children in sub-human conditions. Billions of people in the world cannot conduct their daily lives without participating in a human rights and environmental catastrophe in the Congo. In this stark and crucial book, Kara argues that we must all care about what is happening in the Congo—because we are all implicated. – St. Martin’s Press

Fire Weather: A True Story from a Hotter World by John Vaillant

Writers as Main Characters

February 28, 2024February 20, 2024 - Beth Leave a comment

There is a long history of novels that have writers as the protagonist. Just look at Jo March from Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, published in 1868. In that classic, Jo writes plays to perform with her sisters, sensational stories for tabloid-like newspapers, and eventually, longer manuscripts that get published as books.

Modern authors continue to use writers as main characters. Here are a few newer titles on our Davenport Public Library shelves. (Descriptions provided by publisher)

The Fiction Writer by Jillian Cantor – The once-rising literary star Olivia Fitzgerald is down on her luck. Her most recent novel, a retelling of Daphne du Maurier’s Rebecca, was a flop, and she’s battling a bad case of writer’s block. When her agent calls her with a high-paying ghostwriting opportunity, Olivia is all too willing to sign the NDA. At first, the write-for-hire job seems too good to be true. All she has to do is interview Henry “Ash” Asherwood, a reclusive mega billionaire, twice named People’s Sexiest Man Alive, who wants her help in writing a book that reveals a shocking secret about his late grandmother and Daphne du Maurier. But the more Olivia digs into his grandmother’s past, the more questions she has, and before she knows it, she’s trapped in a gothic mystery of her own.

The Skeleton Key by Erin Kelly – Fifty years ago, Sir Frank Churcher wrote The Golden Bones. Part picture book, part treasure hunt, he created a fairy story about Elinore, a murdered woman whose skeleton was scattered all over England. Clues and puzzles in the pages of The Golden Bones led readers to seven sites where jewels were buried – gold and precious stones, each a different part of a skeleton. One by one, the tiny golden bones were dug up until only Elinore’s pelvis remained hidden. The book is being reissued along with a new treasure hunt and a documentary crew are charting everything that follows. During the filming, Frank finally reveals the whereabouts of the missing golden bone. And then all hell breaks loose.

Writers & lovers by Lily King – In the summer of 1997, Casey Peabody works on the novel she’s been writing for six years. At thirty-one, Casey is still clutching onto something nearly all her old friends have let go of: the determination to live a creative life. When she falls for two very different men at the same time, her world fractures even more. Casey’s fight to fulfill her creative ambitions and balance the conflicting demands of art and life is challenged in ways that push her to the brink. Writers & Lovers follows Casey – a smart and achingly vulnerable protagonist – in the last days of a long youth, a time when every element of her life comes to a crisis.

Top Titles of 2023

December 26, 2023December 20, 2023 - Stephanie Leave a comment

All three Davenport Public Library locations are closed today, Tuesday, December 26th, in observance of Christmas. All three buildings will reopen with regular hours on Wednesday, December 27th: Main (321 Main Street) 9am to 5:30pm, Eastern (6000 Eastern Avenue) noon to 8:00pm, and Fairmount (3000 N Fairmount St) 9am to 8:00pm.

Even though we’re closed today, we have exciting news to share! We are so excited to announce the top checked out titles of 2023 for the Davenport Public Library! We have gathered the top ten most popular titles for four different categories: adult, dvd, kids, and young adult.

Below you will find the lists of titles with links back to the catalog for you to check them out! Did you read or watch any of these? Are any in your to-read/to-watch pile? Let us know in the comments!

Top Adult Books in 2023:

It Ends with Us by Colleen Hoover
Cross Down by James Patterson
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Storm Watch by CJ Box
The 23rd Midnight by James Patterson
It Starts with Us by Colleen Hoover
Obsessed by James Patterson
Lion and Lamb by James Patterson
Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult
Private Moscow by James Patterson

Top DVD Rentals in 2023:

Top Kids Books in 2023:

Dog Man: Brawl of the Wild by Dav Pilkey
Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas by Dav Pilkey
Smile by Raina Telgemeier
Drama by Raina Telgemeier
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Old School by Jeff Kinney
Bluey: At Home with the Heelers
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Wrecking Ball by Jeff Kinney
Dog Man: For Whom the Ball Rolls by Dav Pilkey
Diary of a Wimpy Kid: Big Shot by Jeff Kinney
Dog Man and Cat Kid by Dav Pilkey

Top Young Adults Books in 2023:

The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes by Suzanne Collins
The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han
Good Girl, Bad Blood by Holly Jackson
A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
The Inheritance Games by Jennifer Lynn Barnes
Empire of Storms by Sarah J Maas
It’s Not Summer Without You by Jenny Han
Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas
We’ll Always Have Summer by Jenny Han
All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M Johnson

Robert J Oppenheimer

September 25, 2023September 1, 2023 - Stephanie Leave a comment

On July 21, 2023, Universal Pictures released the historical drama Oppenheimer, based on the life of Robert J. Oppenheimer. According to Box Office Mojo, Oppenheimer has grossed over 300 million dollars in domestic movie sales and nearly 800 million dollars in movie sales worldwide. The film stars Cillian Murphy as Robert J. Oppenheimer (1904-1967), an American theoretical physicist who was the director of the Los Alamos Laboratory during the Manhattan Project. The Los Alamos Laboratory was responsible for the design of the atomic bomb, and Oppenheimer is often referred to as the “father of the atomic bomb.”

Directed by Christopher Nolan, best known for science fiction films Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014), and Tenet (2020), the film is mostly told through the perspective of Robert J. Oppenheimer, beginning in 1926 when he is a doctorate student at Cambridge University. Weaved into the story are scenes in black and white that tell the point of view of Lewis Strauss, a powerful figure in developing nuclear weapons after World Ward II, whose actions sabotaged Oppenheimer’s career. Visit Roger-Ebert for a more detailed movie review.

Oppenheimer is not merely a work of historical fiction, but a cinematic masterpiece with unforgettable performances by Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., and Emily Blunt. Oppenheimer is expected to be released on DVD sometime in October of this year and will be available at all three Davenport Library locations. While you are waiting for Oppenheimer, we recommend the following materials about the development of the atomic bomb currently in The Library collection.

Documentary

Oppenheimer (2023)

Nonfiction Books

Killing the Rising Sun: How American Vanquished World War II Japan by Bill O’Reilly

The Girls of Atomic City: the Untold Story of the Women Who Helped Win World War II by Denise Kiernan

Trinity: a Graphic History of the First Atomic Bomb by Jonathan Fetter-Vorn

The Bastard Brigade: the True Story of the Renegade Scientists and Spies Who Sabotaged the Nazi Atomic Bomb by Sam Kean

Atomic Spy by Nancy Thorndike Greenspan

Black Snow: Curtis LeMay, the Firebombing of Tokyo, and the Road to the Atomic Bomb by James Scott

Fallout: the Hiroshima Cover-Up and the Reporter Who Revealed it to the World by Lesley Blume

Fiction Books

Trinity by Louisa Hall