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Staff Picks for April 2024
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This Is a Window
by Lauren Paige Conrad
The power of children's imaginations takes center stage in this gorgeous, playful rhyming picture book about a group of kids who build a make-believe world in their homes.
Picture Book
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Piper Chen Sings
by Phillipa Soo
Loving nothing more than to sing, Piper Chen is suddenly riddled with doubt when she agrees to sing a solo in her school's Spring Sing until Nai Nai, her grandmother, helps her overcome her nerves and shine her brightest.
Picture Book
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Ultraviolet
by Aida Salazar
Bent on revenge after betrayal and heartbreak, eighth-grader Elio Solis doesn't anticipate that a fight to prove his manhood and defend his girlfriend's honor will lead to dire consequences, in this hilarious, heartwarming and highly relatable coming-of-age story about puberty, hormones and first love.
Children's Fiction
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Not Yet: The Story of an Unstoppable Ice Skater
by Zahra Lari
This empowering story of courage, determination and perseverance follows five-time Emirati National Champion Zahri Lari, the first figure skater to compete internationally in a hijab, whose mantra “not yet” gave her the self-confidence she needed to make her dreams a reality.
Children's Nonfiction
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The Observologist: A Handbook for Mounting Very Small Scientific Expeditions
by Giselle Clarkson
A highly illustrated, playful field guide for budding natural scientists and curious observers of the world right under our noses. Observology is the study of looking. An observologist makes scientific expeditions, albeit very small ones, every day. They notice interesting details in the world around them. They are expert at finding tiny creatures, plants, and fungi. They know that water snails glide upside down on the undersurface of the water; not all flies have wings; earthworms have bristles; butterflies taste with their feet. An observologist knows that there are extraordinary things to be found in even the most ordinary places.
Children's Nonfiction
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Duck and Moose: Duck Moves In!
by Kirk Reedstrom
Moose's peaceful existence is interrupted by the arrival of Duck, who loves parties, karaoke and living with?—?and on?—?Moose's head, but when his efforts to send Duck packing do not work, Moose realizes Duck might be the best thing spring could bring.
Children's Graphic Novel
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Supercommunicators: How to Unlock the Secret Language of Connection
by Charles Duhigg
A Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist, studying supercommunicators—people capable of connecting with anyone, reveals how, everyone time we speak to some, we're actually engaging in one of three conversations, showing us how to recognize which kind of conversation we're having—and teaching us the essential skills for navigating it successfully.
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Six Truths and a Lie
by Ream Shukairy
A rowdy-but-fun 4th of July beach party for Muslim high school students ends in fear and tragedy when an offshore oil rig explodes. The explosion is declared to be an act of terrorism, and 6 teens are identified as suspects: private school student Nasreen, who keeps her reasons for attending the party close to her chest; Qays, the golden boy soccer player; social media influencer Samia; Zamzam, who’s trying to protect her younger brother; Muzhda, whose family has a secret; and Abdullahi Talib, a compassionate EMT in training. Dubbed “the 6” and treated by law enforcement as co-conspirators – although some were strangers to each other before the night of the party – their arrests lead to protests in the city and to fear and suspicion among the imprisoned teens themselves. Alternating points-of-view keep readers guessing about both the events on the beach and the fates of the 6; teen fans of both thrillers and character-driven narratives will find themselves hooked.
Teen Fiction
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The Last Bloodcarver
by Vanessa Le
Nhika usually makes her living by peddling fake homeopathic remedies, but the desperation of her latest mark, whose wife is dying after a medical misdiagnosis, causes her to throw caution to the wind and draw upon her Yarongese gift as a heartsoother to heal the woman. Unfortunately, her generous act brings her to the attention of the Butchers, who capture her, exhibit her as one of the dreaded and illegal “bloodcarvers” and market her to the highest bidder. A wealthy young woman purchases her and brings her to the lavish Congmi estate, where Nhika is asked to heal a loyal family retainer in a coma who is the only living witness to the death – and possible murder – of the head of the Congmi family. In accepting the job, Nhika is drawn into a world full of hidden agendas and dangerous secrets. To survive, she may need to become the monster she is accused of being. The first in a planned duology, The Last Bloodcarver features a fierce protagonist and an intricate magic system and will appeal to readers of These Violent Delights and That Self-same Metal.
Teen Fiction
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The Husbands
by Holly Gramazio
When Lauren returns home to her flat in London late one night, she is greeted at the door by her husband, Michael. There’s only one problem — she’s not married. She’s never seen this man before in her life. But according to her friends, her much-improved decor, and the photos on her phone, they’ve been together for years. As Lauren tries to puzzle out how she could be married to someone she can’t remember meeting, Michael goes to the attic to change a lightbulb and abruptly disappears. In his place, a new man emerges, and a new, slightly altered life re-forms around her. Realizing that her attic is creating an infinite supply of husbands, Lauren confronts the question: If swapping lives is as easy as changing a lightbulb, how do you know you’ve taken the right path? When do you stop trying to do better and start actually living? Booklist declares this “delightful fantasy” to be both “funny and philosophical,” and recommends it for readers of Emma Straub and Erin Morgenstern.
Adult Fiction
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The Silver Bone
by Andrey Kurkov
Kyiv, 1919. Amidst the political turmoil, young Samson Kolechko is forced to place his engineering career on hold, and when two Red Army soldiers commandeer his home, Samson’s life is completely upended. But as Samson juggles his personal life – including a budding romance with the ingenious Nadezhda, a statistician helping run the city’s census – with the soldiers’ intrusion, he winds up overhearing their secret plans. Deciding to report them, Samson instead finds himself unwittingly recruited as an investigator for the city’s new police force. His first case involves two murders, a long bone made of pure silver, and a suit of decidedly unusual proportions tailored from fine English cloth. Celebrated Ukrainian novelist Kurkov found inspiration for his narrative in the archives of Kyiv's secret police. Library Journal Reviews calls The Silver Bone “a winning offbeat crime novel that begs for a sequel,” and Publisher’s Weekly praises its “earthy prose and stunning attention to detail.”
Adult Fiction
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Knife: Meditations After an Attempted Murder
by Salman Rushdie
The internationally renowned writer and Booker Prize winner speaks out for the first time about the traumatic events of August 12, 2022, when an attempt was made on his life, in this deeply personal meditation on violence, art, loss, love and finding the strength to stand up again.
Adult Nonfiction
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Milk Street 365: The All-Purpose Cookbook for Every Day of the Year
by Christopher Kimball
This is Milk Street's new and comprehensive guide to today's recipe repertoire, full of fresh flavors and simple yet game-changing techniques. This is everyday cooking you actually want to cook every day. You'll learn better ways to roast chicken (hint: flat birds crisp better, and seasonings stay in place when slid under the skin) and discover bold finishes for chops and steaks (think a slather of cilantro-lime sauce or a smear of miso butter). Here, fundamental recipes and their nearly endless variations are paired with lessons on the art and science of good cooking. Sidebars and charts deliver valuable guidance about the tools, ingredients and techniques that comprise the modern kitchen. It's a 360-degree approach for all 365 days of the year.
Adult Nonfiction
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Medalist. Vol. 1
by Tsurumaikada
Inori is a little girl who dreams of becoming a figure skater. Yet, the obstacles to this dream feel insurmountable: Inori's already "too old" (she's 11); she's always had trouble at school; and, worst of all, her older sister's skating dreams ended in failure, so her mother is dead set against putting her other daughter through a similar experience. Still, the rink is the only place Inori can be herself, and she's out on the ice when a fateful meeting takes place. Tsukasa, a frustrated coach on the edge of giving up competitive skating himself, will join Inori to form an unstoppable duo powered by hard work, transcendent joy, and an unshakeable belief that they can prove everyone wrong.
Teen Graphic Novel
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Mary Tyler Moorehawk
by Dave Baker
WHO IS MARY TYLER MOOREHAWK? How did she save the world from a dimension-hopping megalomaniac? Why was her TV show canceled after only nine episodes? These are just a few of the questions that young journalist Dave Baker begins to ask himself as he unravels the many mysteries surrounding the obscure comic book Mary Tyler MooreHawk. However, his curiosity grows into an obsession when he discovers that the reclusive creator of his favorite globe-trotting girl detective…is also named Dave Baker.
Adult Graphic Novel
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Pase lo que pase mañana
by Rebecca Gardyn Levington
Inspired by the author’s own experience with anxiety, this reassuring picture book helps readers understand they have the resilience and strength to face whatever comes their way.
Inspirado en la propia experiencia con la ansiedad de la autora, este tranquilizador libro ilustrado ayuda a los lectores a comprender que tienen la resiliencia y la fuerza para enfrentar cualquier cosa que se les presente.
Spanish Picture Book
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La rebelión de los buenos
by Roberto Santiago
For evil to triumph it is only necessary that the good people do nothing. Roberto Santiago reinvents the crime novel with an absorbing plot that challenges the power of the masters of the world. Fernando Lara Novel Prize 2023.
Para que el mal triunfe, solo es necesario que la gente buena no haga nada. Roberto Santiago reinventa la novela negra con una trama absorbente que desafía el poder de los amos del mundo. Premio de Novela Fernando Lara 2023.
Spanish Adult Fiction
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El autismo en la infancia
by Luke Beardon
The diagnosis or suspected diagnosis of an autistic child can be overwhelming for parents, especially when they know nothing about it. This book is an accessible introduction for those encountering autism for the first time.
El diagnóstico o la sospecha de diagnóstico de un niño autista puede resultar abrumador para sus padres, especialmente cuando no saben nada del tema. Este libro es una introducción accesible para quienes se encuentran con el autismo por primera vez.
Spanish Adult Nonfiction
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