Tag: children

New Picture Books

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If you’re looking for books with gorgeous illustrations, I recommend you check out picture books! Below you will find a list of new children’s picture books that were published in 2025. As of this writing, all of these titles are available at the Davenport Public Library. Descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Cat Nap written and illustrated by Brian Lies

In the warm, late afternoon sunlight, a girl sits on the couch reading a book. Her kitten dozes nearby. But when Kitten notices a mouse and dives after it through a framed poster on the wall, an epic chase through time, art, and history ensues. Is it a dream? That’s up to the reader to decide, but for the kitten, every leap and bound is full of suspense and makes for a masterpiece.

Caldecott Honor–winning and New York Times bestselling author-illustrator Brian Lies creates a truly unique picture book journey that invites young readers through the galleries of an art museum as well as through time, space, and history. As the cat and mouse leap from one page to the next, they are portrayed in the style of masterful artworks from history—an ancient Egyptian relief, an illuminated manuscript, a stained-glass window, a ceramic dog—each painstakingly and lovingly re-created in its original media by Brian Lies. When the sly mouse gets away, Kitten finds himself lost and alone. Will art help him find his way home?

This visual showstopper by an award-winning and bestselling picture book creator offers readers a page-turning cat and mouse chase, an introduction to famous works of art throughout history, an epic adventure story, and a homecoming. Backmatter includes information about how each of the illustrations in the book was created, notes on the original artworks featured in the book, and an afterword inviting young readers to make, create, and build things. – Greenwillow Books

CeeCee: Underground Railroad Cinderella written by Shana Keller, illustrated by Laura Freeman

A Cinderella retelling with a young enslaved girl in the title role. On a Maryland plantation, CeeCee’s story doesn’t end with a prince, but a different type of rescue.

CeeCee is a young enslaved girl growing up alongside the two spoiled daughters she must work for on a plantation in Maryland. She takes care of them, catering to their every whim and suffering their casual cruelty. She learns to read by listening to their lessons and stories with the threat of punishment if caught.

CeeCee receives help from the caring cook, Binty, and hope comes in the form of a different kind of escape. CeeCee chances everything for the possibility of a new life.

While many are familiar with the traditional Cinderella story, this retelling is sure to empower and uplift a new generation of young readers. – Charlesbridge

Everyday Bean written and illustrated by Stephanie Graegin

Meet Bean, a very tiny hedgehog. She loves ghosts, swings and a stuffie called Clem.

Meet Bean’s grandma. She loves strawberries, sweaters and tiny Bean burritos.

And they both love stories.

In ten tiny stories we follow Bean and her grandmother through adventures of the everyday. Bean loses her bad mood in a meadow and Grandma thinks she sees a ghost (don’t worry it’s just Bean!) — and there’s even a story with giant strawberries.

This first volume in the Tiny Bean’s Big Adventures series by acclaimed author/illustrator and hedgehog friend/insider, Stephanie Graegin, is the perfect gift for little (and big) readers and hedgehog admirers everywhere. – Tundra Books

The House That Floated written and illustrated by Guojing

A stunningly beautiful picture book from a critically acclaimed artist that follows a family who lives in a house by the sea as water levels start to rise.

In this gorgeous, wordless story, a family makes their home on a cliff overlooking the sea. They live peacefully, spending their days exploring the ocean and filling their home with warmth and laughter. But as seasons pass, the waters rise, bringing the tides closer to the clifftop and the house. When a powerful storm rages and giant waves engulf the cliff, the family must leave—but not without their beloved home.

Inspired by true stories of communities relocating houses, award-winning artist Guojing evokes a family’s ingenuity and determination to save their home in a moving portrait of empathy, love and strength. Through dreamy ocean scenes and vibrant tones of red, pinks and blues, this striking narrative offers an adventure story with a dramatic and glorious ending. – Random House Studio

The Invisible Parade by Leigh Bardugo

It’s time to join the party! Adventure awaits readers of all ages on Día de Muertos​ in this stunningly original and lushly illustrated tour de force about family, love, and overcoming grief.

Everyone in the neighborhood was getting ready for the party.
Everyone knew somebody on the guest list . . .
This was the day the dead returned.

There’s a party tonight, but Cala doesn’t want to go. While her family prepares for the celebration, Cala grieves her grandfather and tries to pretend she’s not afraid.

But when she is separated from her family at the cemetery, Cala encounters four mysterious riders who will show her she is actually quite brave after all.

Brimming with magic and humor, The Invisible Parade is the first picture-book collaboration between award-winner John Picacio and New York Times bestselling Leigh Bardugo. Set on the night of Día de Muertos, Cala’s story is one of love, loss, and the courage that can be found in unexpected places. – Little, Brown Books for Young Readers

Island Storm written by Brian Floca, illustrated by Sydney Smith

Can you tell when a storm is coming? Can you feel the wind coming and growing? Do you hear the branches bouncing together, hear the whispers of the wind through the leaves?

Join in the journey as two siblings bear witness to the steady start, thrilling apex, and gentle end of this island storm. They’ll shelter soon, but first they want to feel it all.

Sydney Smith is the winner of the Hans Christian Andersen Award, the highest international distinction given to authors and illustrators of children’s books, and his illustrations are fantastically textured and visually spectacular. Paired with Brian Floca’s eloquent, rhythmic text, Island Storm is a multi-sensory experience that will amaze and delight readers. Children who fear thunder can take comfort in seeing it captured in the pages, while those who relish watching the sky crack open can enjoy battling this storm from the comfort of their homes. – Neal Porter Books

The Monster in the Lake written and illustrated by Leo Timmers, translated by Bill Nagelkerke

Four ducks are tired of their small pond and set out for an adventure in the big lake. Walking at the back, Eric isn’t sure. He’s heard there’s a monster in the lake, but his friends don’t believe a word of that old story! Eric reluctantly tags along, only to make a startling discovery and find himself in a wonderful underwater adventure.

This large-format picture book features a detailed, fold-out, underwater world of mechanical marvels and sea creatures. The story of a nervous duck who finds courage and the overconfidence of groups will resonate with anyone who’s nervously dipped a toe in unknown waters. – Gecko Press

The Moon Moved In written by Sue Soltis, illustrated by Sonia Sánchez

What would happen if the moon moved in next door? A funny and original story about an unexpected friendship, the essential role of the moon, and our power to connect, even from far away.

When the Moon moves into the long-empty house next door, all the rooms fill up with light—and Stella finally has a friend. But without the Moon in orbit, the world is going topsy-turvy. The tides stop, and the Earth has a new wobble. Stella worries, but the Moon just wants to stay and garden. Can Stella convince the Moon that life on Earth needs the Moon back in orbit? And what will become of her wish for a friend next door? – Chronicle Books

Popo the xolo written by Paloma Angelina Lopez, illustrated by Abraham Matias

We can always remember her.

Nana is surrounded by family and takes joy in her many grandchildren. She’s also tired and feels pain. Soon she begins her transition from life into death, accompanied by her beloved Xolo dog, Popo.

Together they go on Nana’s journey, and by the end of the story, Nana’s family celebrates the many years of love they shared with her. A grandchild takes on caring for Popo in Nana’s memory.

Simultaneously published in English and Spanish, Popo the Xolo helps kids understand how loved ones live on in our memories. An unforgettable picture book that’s grounded in the importance of the 9 levels of Mictlān and the role Xolo dogs play in Indigenous cultural understandings of present-day Mexico. – Charlesbridge

Recess written by Lane Smith, design by Molly Leach

School is where you go to learn. It is fun.
But sometimes you need a little break from all the fun.
That is why there is recess.
But what if it’s not recess time?
No problem!

You can have a Now Recess, a Really-Need-a-Break Recess, a Wherever-You-Are Recess.
It doesn’t matter what you call it. Just make sure you shout it:
RECESS!

Featuring the distinctive humor and beloved art of bestselling Caldecott honoree Lane Smith, this irresistibly fun, interactive read aLOUD is the perfect stress reliever to send kids into fits of giggles and shaking out their wiggles. – Abrams Books

This Year, A Witch written and illustrated by Zoey Abbott

A little girl has been every adorable thing you can imagine for Halloween, and she is done with being cuddly, sweet, and precious. This year, she’s rebelling big-time and going for a totally different vibe: the spookiest thing out there. She’s going to be…a witch!

With only a little help from Dad, she works hard on her witchy locks, brew, spells and enchantments, and power to petrify. But what happens when what she sees in the mirror is so spooky, she scares even herself? Nothing that an understanding dad—and maybe a quick restorative nap—can’t handle. – Atheneum/Caitlyn Dlouhy Books

Where the Deer Slip Through written by Katey Howes, illustrated by Beth Krommes

This is the hedge that grew and grew.
The wall of stone a bit askew.
This is the gap where the deer slip through,
when the sky is still more pink than blue…

Throughout the course of a beautiful summer day, from sunrise to moonrise, a host of animals find their way through a gap in the hedge, bringing the farm to life. – Beach Lane Books

You and Me, Anemone: A Story About Friendship and Personal Space by Rachel Vail, illustrated by Chris Raschka

Don’t want to be booped? No problem! A sea anemone in the ocean confidently sets itself some personal boundaries, encouraging young readers on land to do the same.
You and Me, Anemone is a nuanced, thoughtful, playful picture book for young children about the delicate challenge of boundaries—having them, maintaining them, and respecting them in others. The playful, rhythmic, interactive text by award-winning author Rachel Vail pairs the science of sea life with social-emotional learning for terrific classroom potential. Two-time Caldecott Medal winner Chris Raschka’s illustrations—created by painting and stitching on burlap—are a visual and emotional showstopper with a ton of kid appeal. Back matter includes an author’s note and facts about the incredible sea anemone. – Greenwillow Books

Help for Grieving Children

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If you are looking for ways to help explain death and grief to children, try these picture books published in 2024 and 2025. These are gentle approaches covering various living things in ways that people of all ages can understand.

As of this writing, all of these titles are available at the Davenport Public Library. The descriptions are provided by the publishers.

Bird is Dead by Tiny Fisscher, translated by Laura Watkinson, illustrated by Herma Starreveld

An honest and simple exploration of death and grief for kids 4 to 8. With playful illustrations by a therapist-turned-artist, Bird is Dead uses humor to make death a more approachable topic.

Bird is dead. Yesterday he was alive. How do the other birds know? On your back + feet up = dead. Some of the birds cry a little. And that’s alright. Crying together can be nice. When it’s time to give Bird a funeral, they reminisce about him, and then have tea with worms (or cake, if you don’t like worms).

In a straightforward but warm way, this picture book of collaged birds can facilitate discussions with kids about:

  • What happens when someone dies
  • How to understand their feelings of loss and grief
  • How everyone can experience grief differently, and have a variety of emotions when something tragic happens

Sensitive and humorous, Bird is Dead provides kids and adults with a space to talk about death on their own terms. – Greystone Kids

The Fire Fox by Alexandra Page, illustrations by Stef Murphy

An uplifting, magical book perfect for sharing at bedtime that will leave children feeling warm, cosy and loved.

Freya and her mum have gone to a little cabin to get away for a while. The light has gone out of their lives since Freya’s dad passed away. Freya isn’t sure about going sledging, but when she meets a magical fox in the snow, she can’t help but follow him into the forest – and on to a thrilling adventure.

A heartwarming bedtime story inspired by the Finnish Saami myth of the revontulet, or fox fires – the sparks that fly from the fur of a mystical fox to become the Northern Lights.

The Fire Fox is a gloriously illustrated, beautifully written story about the nurturing light of love that can’t be dimmed, written by debut author Alexandra Page and illustrated by the exciting talent Stef Murphy. This enchanting picture book with its touching story of sadness, hope, love and joy begs to be read again and again. – Pan Macmillan

The Hole by Lindsay Bonilla

A powerful story perfect for opening up conversations about loss

What does it feel like to lose someone you love? For one little boy, it’s like he has a hole in his life. It’s in the bottom bunk, where his little brother, Matty, used to sleep, and it’s on his brother’s chair at dinner. It follows him everywhere until the day he decides to really explore it. Inside the hole he confronts his grief—the sadness, the anger, and the truth of how much he misses Matty. His friend is waiting when he climbs out, and when she asks, “Do you want to tell me about your brother?” he’s surprised to find that talking about Matty is a comfort—and helps fill his hole with good memories. – Nancy Paulsen Books

Loose Threads: A Story about Me, Mom, and Dad written and illustrated by Airien Ludin

Mom, Dad, and I have the happiest days together, full of delicious meals, arts and crafts, and goodnight hugs. One day, though, Mom gets sick. She will never get better. Like a ball of yarn, I unravel and get tangled up in my emotions. But when Dad and I talk about the sadness, the knots slowly loosen a bit. And in time, sharing our grief frees up some room for beautiful memories, old and new.

A comforting book about loss, love, and strength. For children ages 5 years and up. – Clavis

Popi’s All Souls Song by C.K. Malone, illustrated by Shelly Swann

A gorgeously illustrated story about loss, community, and bringing comfort to others.

Every year on All Souls Day, Mara and her grandparents visit homes in their neighborhood to bring comfort and a song to those mourning the death of a loved one. But this year, Mara and Nene have lost Popi. As Nene leads Mara through their yearly ritual, Mara compares her own grief to that of each neighbor they visit. Then she catches sight of the frozen tears on Nene’s face.

Setting aside the bitterness icing her heart to help her beloved grandmother, Mara rekindles Popi’s song and brings her community together to honor him.

Popi’s All Souls Song is a poignant, timeless story with luminous art, drawing readers into the realization that no person’s loss or grief is bigger or more important than anyone else’s. And when we bring comfort to others, we experience comfort ourselves.

Backmatter includes an author’s note with a brief history of the All Souls Day holiday and traditions associated with the day. – Beaming Books

Under Anna’s Umbrella by Amanda Driscoll, illustrated by Luisa Uribe

When a loved one dies, grief can isolate us as if we’re hiding under an umbrella of sadness. This touching and wise story will comfort the readers who need it most.

Anna never goes anywhere without her umbrella. Not since the stormy day of her father’s funeral. Under her umbrella, she feels safe—safe to be angry and sad. She refuses to put away her umbrella no matter the weather, both outside and in. And then one rainy day she notices a boy getting drenched, and when she invites him under the umbrella with her, things begin to change.

This heartfelt story explores how grief, like an umbrella, protects us, but also blocks light from our lives. However, with time and healing and help from a friend, we can lower our umbrella to see the sun. And maybe even a rainbow. – Rocky Pond Books

Where are you, Brontë? by Tomie DePaola, illustrated by Barbara McClintock

This touching story about love, loss, and remembrance in the wake of losing a beloved pet is the final completed book written by beloved creator Tomie dePaola, with art by award-winning illustrator Barbara McClintock.

Where are you, Brontë?
The day you left me, I knew I would miss you.
And I did. Every day, every night.
But then, I knew you were right here, still with me, in my heart forever.

Children’s book legend Tomie dePaola tells the emotional and deeply personal story about overcoming his grief after the loss of his beloved dog, Brönte. – Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers

The Housemaid by Freida McFadden

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“I feel special. Like maybe I deserve to be here.”
― Freida McFadden, The Housemaid

Is there an author you have seen everywhere that you have been reluctant to read? For me, this author is Freida McFadden. Her books are flying off the shelves at the library with her new ones having long holds lists. In an effort to figure out her popularity, I decided to listen to The Housemaid, the first book in her Housemaid series. Before I get into the book, let me share something: I love psychological thrillers and the twists, turns, and brutal endings they can have. Because of this, I am a bit picky about what psychological thrillers I read, but I still wanted to give Freida McFadden a try.

Here’s a brief synopsis: Millie is looking for a fresh start. She has been let go from her last job and is sleeping in her car, so when she scores an interview to be a live-in housekeeper for a wealthy family, she is surprised. Given her previous work history and her past, Millie knows she probably won’t get the job, but surprise, she is offered the job! She is tasked with cleaning the house from top to bottom, picking up the Winchesters’ daughter from school, making their meals, and a myriad of other tasks. The lady of the house, Nina, at first seems like a dream, but soon turns into a nightmare. She rips up the house, making messes and blaming Millie. She repeatedly tells lies and gaslights Millie. The constant whiplash between nice and angry pushes Millie close to Nina’s husband, Andrew. Millie doesn’t see how the two could have ended up together. Andrew is extremely attractive, while Nina doesn’t take pride in her appearance and has let herself go. As Nina continues to deteriorate, Andrew grows more broken. Soon Millie believes that Andrew deserves better and that she appreciates him more than Nina does. When Andrew and Millie are given the opportunity to act out their desires, Millie feels like her dreams have come true. She doesn’t realize it’s a trap until it’s too late, but unfortunately for the Winchesters, they have underestimated Millie.

My thoughts: While I enjoyed the twists and the ending, there were other parts I found repetitive. Some scenes also felt tedious and at times I felt this book could have benefitted from another editing round. The Housemaid was a good thriller, but honestly I was hit with dejavu many times, like I had read this book or plot before. This was a solid three star read because of its predictability.

The Housemaid series

Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga

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‘I am learning how to be
sad
and happy
at the same time.’ – Jasmine Warga, Other Words for Home

Lately novels in verse have been popping up on the top of my to-read list. Novels in verse are stories that are written using poetry instead of the typical format of a novel (sentences, paragraphs, and chapters). These books don’t have to rhyme, although some do! If you’re looking for a quick read, give a novel in verse a try. My latest read was a novel in verse that hit me right in the feels: the Newberry Award Honor winner, Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga.

Jude and her family live in a beautiful seaside town in Syria. Her parents run a store, while her older brother attends school. When the war in Syria creeps closer to their home, her parents decide that it would be best for Jude and her mother to move to Cincinnati, Ohio to live with relatives. Jude is devastated. She doesn’t want to leave her older brother and father behind, but her parents have already decided they must leave.

When Jude and her mother land in Cincinnati, everything moves too fast and the world is too loud. Her family try to help the two assimilate, but Jude is at a loss. She used to watch old American movies with her brother and best friend, but those movies are nothing like the real America where she now lives. A big confusion for her: Americans need to label everything. Jude and her mother are suddenly ‘Middle Eastern’, something she has never been called before. Jude is incredibly observant, noticing the new opportunities available to her, the new ways people react to her, and the new friends she finds. Jude’s new life is full of so many surprises, both good and bad, but she is able to live up to her brother’s words to ‘be brave’.

This middle grade free verse novel was beautifully written. It is authentically written, descriptive, and thought provoking. Warga talks about many issues that immigrants face when they flee their unsafe homelands and then the issues that pop up once they land in a new place. There are themes of resilience, belonging, family, and identity. This is a story of one family’s transformation before and after the war began in Syria. Their lives will never be the same, but they have no choice.

This title is also available as CD audiobook, Playaway audiobook, and as a Libby eBook and Libby eAudiobook.

No Kidding by Vero Cazot and Madeline Martin

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Whether or not you want to have children is a decisive topic. No Kidding by writer Vero Cazot, with art & colors by Madeline Martin, tackles this serious subject with humor and gravitas. Martin and Cazot examine what it means to be childless and how difficult it can be to find supportive people when you are childless, whether it be your choice or not. In addition to a section at the end of the book dedicated to people fighting for a woman’s right to choose, the author also intersperses random history nuggets throughout their book.

No Kidding is a modern feminist graphic novel that tackles a woman’s right to choose by highlighting the lives of two women. Jane is a 35 year old woman who doesn’t want to be a mother. She has been with her partner for eight years and thought that he felt the same way. All of a sudden, he is having doubts, leading the two to do some major soul-searching. Lucy was just accepted to the school of her dreams. Her current plans do not involve having a child, but she became pregnant. She knows that she wants to terminate the pregnancy, but finding help, getting an appointment, and even finding supportive people to talk to proves to be incredibly hard.

Jane isn’t afraid to speak her opinions to everyone around her. As she speaks her truth, she fights against pushback at every single turn. Jane refuses to bow down to the societal and political pressures to have children and demands that her opinions be heard on all levels. When she meets Lucy, the two bond over their mutual decisions to be childfree.  No Kidding is the story of women who don’t want to do what society expects them to do. I appreciated that the author respected all viewpoints presented within the book, but also that she pushed hard to present how being childfree needs to be more accepted in society. Cazot presents her point of view with humor and sarcasm. She also loads her story full of examples of women making choices for their own bodies, whether it be having children or being childfree.

Enhanced Children’s Areas at Davenport Public Library

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Please enjoy this guest blog by Jeff Collins, Library Director:

Even now, after her passing last summer at age 85, beloved children’s librarian Rochelle A. Murray is helping Davenport kids fall in love with reading.

“Miss Rochelle,” as she was known to generations of children, bequeathed to the Library a generous gift, which will help kids discover the fun of reading for many years to come.

Rochelle was a longtime children’s librarian, and although she had long since retired by the time I began my tenure as director, I have seen her touch throughout the Library and in the community. Now, her legacy will be indelibly marked, as Davenport Public Library embarks on an audacious $1.08 million-dollar private-donor funded project to bring vibrant new activities to the children’s areas at all three of our libraries: | Main | Fairmount | Eastern.

Davenport Public Library will add interactives, kiosks, wall panels, and more to our children’s areas in the coming year, helping kids to develop the early literacy skills so vital to their success in school and life. These vivid new spaces will allow children to engage in fun, multi-sensory activities that support early literacy and include letters and words, gears, magnetic pieces, song lyrics, varying textures, and other elements that are perfect for hands-on play. And of course, we will incorporate plenty of cozy nooks where children and their parents/caregivers can read books together!

Artist example of learning kiosk. ©2023 Burgeon Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Artist example of learning kiosk. ©2023 Burgeon Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Educational Learning Spaces
These enhanced spaces are educational and based on Every Child Ready to Read®, a research-based series of practices developed by the Public Library Association and the Association for Library Service to Children. Designed to help kids develop essential literacy skills and get on the right path to school readiness and student success, this program is based on two core concepts: 1) Reading begins at birth; and 2) Parents are a child’s first and best teacher. Every Child Ready to Read® focuses on emergent and early literacy development in the five practices of talking, singing, reading, writing, and playing. Public libraries provide opportunities for young children and their parents/caregivers to develop these skills in safe, non-commercial environments, with free access for everyone in the community. Davenport Public Library already utilizes Every Child Ready to Read® practices in our early literacy programming, including storytimes, 1000 Books Before Kindergarten, parent education workshops, and supporting materials to help parents/caregivers prepare children for reading.

Access to these free, educational spots, gives everyone living in Davenport a strong start in early literacy to ensure that they are ready for kindergarten and beyond. Each newly designed children’s area will reflect the theme of nature, with each library branch featuring aspects of its local ecosystem:
| Main will feature a water/riparian habitat due to its proximity to the Mississippi River.
| Fairmount will feature woodlands/wetlands due to the Duck Creek watershed.
| Eastern will feature a prairie theme as it is situated at Prairie Heights Park.

Artist example of wall. ©2023 Burgeon Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
Artist example of wall. ©2023 Burgeon Group, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Help us reach our goal!
So, while we are deeply saddened by the loss of Rochelle Murray, it is with enormous gratitude that we honor her legacy by embarking on this mission to bring opportunities to play and learn at the Library.

We welcome the participation of all citizens in this campaign. As of March 31, 2023, this project is 58% funded, but we still need $450,000 to bring it to success. Gifts of all sizes are welcome. Anyone interested in making a gift can do so online, or gifts can be mailed to FRIENDS of the Davenport Public Library (321 Main Street, Davenport, IA 52801). Please designate your gift as for “Children’s Areas”. Donations of $5,000 or more will receive mention on a plaque at each library.

We need everyone in our community to help. Please join us in making early literacy a reality for Davenport children!

DONATE!

Thank you to our major donors!
(accurate as of March 31, 2023):

$200,000 and more
Rochelle A. Murray Bequest
FRIENDS of the Davenport Public Library

$150,000 and more
Regional Development Authority

$5,000 and more
Community members

You can learn more about Rochelle’s life at Primary Selections from Special Collections and her obituary.

As Brave As You by Jason Reynolds

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Jason Reynolds is a New York Times bestselling author who writes poetry and novels for young adult and middle-grade readers. Reynolds’ books are also multiple award winners. My latest read, As Brave as You, was a Kirkus Award Finalist, Schneider Family Book Award Winner, and Coretta Scott King Author Honor Book.

As Brave as You is the story of a multigenerational family and their ideas of love and bravery across those generations. Genie and his big brother, Ernie, are spending the summer with her grandparents all the way in Virginia. Their parents are driving them from Brooklyn all the way down to the country in Virginia. Genie has never done anything like this before, so he’s both excited and nervous. When the family finally arrives in Virginia, Genie is surprised. His grandpa is blind! Grandpop can’t see, but he covers it so well, especially by wearing a pair of cool Ray-Bans.

Being an ever-curious kid, Genie has so many questions for Grandpop so he just starts asking whatever pops into his head. The more Genie learns, the more he thinks that Grandpop is the bravest person he knows. The only flaw: Grandpop NEVER leaves the house. Grandpop finally allows Genie to go into his secret room: a place filled to the brim with songbirds and plants. It’s a wonderful room that looks like the outside has been pulled inside. Genie starts to think if Grandpop is actually as brave as he presents.

Genie deals with complicated thoughts around bravery the closer it gets to Ernie’s fourteenth birthday. Grandpop has a tradition for all the men who turn fourteen: in order to become a man, you have to learn how to shoot a gun. Genie thinks this is incredibly cool, but Ernie isn’t really interested at all. That also throws Genie’s idea of bravery into freefall. Is being a man really about proving something? Or is it about being responsible for your own decisions?

This book is also available in the following format:

Childfree by Choice by Dr. Amy Blackstone

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A deeply evidence-based look at the real experiences of those who choose not to have children, 2019’s Childfree by Choice is an honest and empowering look at the many ways of creating lives of meaning and fulfillment.

A childfree woman herself, Dr. Blackstone has always been interested in the way childfree people live in a world that doesn’t really support them. In this book, she pulls together years of research – her own and that of others – to dive deep into what it really means to be childfree. She addresses the numerous myths and threats childfree people face (“You’ll regret it!” “You’re selfish!” “You hate kids!”, etc.) and debunks them all with her own experience alongside verifiable facts drawn from numerous research studies.

What I really liked about this book – aside from her hardcore commitment to evidence and citations supporting her every claim – was the way she carefully explained the difference between what our culture might say, where those assumptions come from, and what is actually true. It’s easy to accept common wisdom at face value, but it’s far more interesting to understand the issue in a nuanced way. Perhaps more importantly, Blackstone maintains an honest, calm and reasonable tone throughout and never comes across condescending or defensive. She never claims that either choice is better or worse, but only states the facts: some people have kids, some people don’t, and either way is a good way to live, as long as it works for you.

If you want to learn about an invisible population, feel empowered to create your own future, or have your eyes opened to the many wonderful ways to make a family, you might be interested in Childfree by Choice.

Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir by Tyler Feder

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Coping with grief is hard and never-ending. As a librarian, I am constantly on the lookout for books that discuss the topic of grief in a new way. Enter author and illustrator Tyler Feder. She has written Dancing at the Pity Party: A Dead Mom Graphic Memoir, what Feder describes as ‘sad but also silly and weird, just like loss’. Feder’s illustrations are soft, gentle, and simple which serve as the perfect accompaniment to her heartbreaking subject matter. This book is part cancer memoir telling the story of Feder’s mom’s death and part reflection on her motherless life. Feder gives readers a glimpse into a devastating time into her life, while also being humorous. She makes note several times throughout that this memoir is for the people who are struggling with loss who just want someone to understand and get what they are going through.

Tyler Feder loves her mom Rhonda. That has never been in doubt.  As the oldest daughter, Tyler made Rhonda a mom and shared a special bond with her. No one loved more in Tyler’s life than her mom, all be it a bit blunt but full of joy. It’s hard to distill such a large personality to a single memoir, but Tyler pays devoted homage to her by weaving poignant yet piercing details throughout.

When Tyler was 19 years old, her mom died of cancer. This memoir covers everything from her first oncology appointment to the different stages of cancer to the funeral. Feder then goes a step further to show her family sitting shiva and how they adjust to the new afterward without their mother and wife in the ten years after. The art in this book is gorgeous and seeing Tyler show her love and heartbreak through her work tore at my heart as I read this book. This graphic memoir also felt like a self-help book as reading Tyler’s journey somewhat mirrored my own travels through grief. You see Feder’s grief fresh after her mother’s death as well as how she is working through it ten years later. Highly recommend this graphic memoir to anyone who is looking for a new read.

This book is also available in the following format:

Virtual Book Club – ‘The Institute’ on September 16

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Have you joined the Virtual Book Club yet? On Wednesday, September 16th at 2pm, Virtual Book Club will be discussing The Institute by Stephen King. This program meets virtually every week to discuss a book using GoTo Meeting. Information about how to join is listed at the end of this post.

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

In the middle of the night, in a house on a quiet street in suburban Minneapolis, intruders silently murder Luke Ellis’s parents and load him into a black SUV. The operation takes less than two minutes. Luke will wake up at The Institute, in a room that looks just like his own, except there’s no window. And outside his door are other doors, behind which are other kids with special talents, telekinesis and telepathy, who got to this place the same way Luke did: Kalisha, Nick, George, Iris, and ten-year-old Avery Dixon. They are all in Front Half. Others, Luke learns, graduated to Back Half, like the roach motel, Kalisha says. ‘You check in, but you don’t check out.’ In this most sinister of institutions, the director, Mrs. Sigsby, and her staff are ruthlessly dedicated to extracting from these children the force of their extranormal gifts. There are no scruples here. If you go along, you get tokens for the vending machines. If you don|t, punishment is brutal. As each new victim disappears to Back Half, Luke becomes more and more desperate to get out and get help. But no one has ever escaped from the Institute. As psychically terrifying as Firestarter, and with the spectacular kid power of It, The Institute is Stephen King’s gut-wrenchingly dramatic story of good vs. evil in a world where the good guys don’t always win.

This book is also available in the following formats:

Virtual Book Club – The Institute by Stephen King
Wed, Sep 16, 2020 2:00 PM – 3:00 PM (CDT)

Please join my meeting from your computer, tablet or smartphone.
https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/792093261

You can also dial in using your phone.
United States: +1 (224) 501-3412

Access Code: 792-093-261

New to GoToMeeting? Get the app now and be ready when your first meeting starts:
https://global.gotomeeting.com/install/792093261