Spotlight On

Richard Brettell

Here’s a good look at the artists who made up the Impressionist movement – what did they do and how did they become some of the most famous and beloved artists in history?

John Long

Once the stuff of sci-fi, this set of DVDs looks at how robots work, what they can do, and how they are already transforming our lives.

Bill Briwa

From market to table, and covering courses from salads to desserts, this series is everything that you’d want to know about the art of cooking. Even the booklet that comes with it looks good enough to eat.

Stephen Chbosky

This book, written in 1999 and set in the early 1990s, was a favorite of mine in eighth grade. I haven’t reread it in nearly a decade, but what I remember most about it is the way it tugged on my heartstrings. It is told from the perspective of a high school “wallflower” grappling with experiences from his adolescence that included both abuse and the loss of a close friend through a series of letters. It’s heartbreaking and inspiring and will certainly resonate with teens learning to navigate challenging relationships with others. Fans of Jandy Nelson, Nicola Yoon, and John Green will appreciate the first-person narration of the protagonist, Charlie.

(Banned and Challenged for: Drug/Alcohol use, homosexuality, and offensive language, among other reasons cited. Year: 2014)

Angie Thomas

Angie Thomas’ debut novel about a teenage girl who witnesses her longtime friend killed by a police officer and joins in the ensuing protest movement is incredibly powerful and relevant. Teenagers who are interested in social and racial justice, abolition, and activism may find this book majorly compelling – albeit hard to stomach at times. A great fit for fans of Jason Reynolds, Elizabeth Acevedo, and Nic Stone. Be sure to check out our new copy of The Hate U Give Collector’s Edition.

(Banned and Challenged for: profanity, violence, and because it was thought to promote an anti-police message and indoctrination of a social agenda. Year: 2021)

George M. Johnson

This is a nonfiction “memoir manifesto” by journalist George M. Johnson, who writes about his family, friendships, and younger self with incredible honesty and candor. What really sets this book apart from other memoirs is the care with which he addresses his readers, reminding them that they are not alone and offering deeply personal advice. Even if your struggles are not the same, there is much to take from Johnson’s reflection on his life experiences. Nonfiction fans and short story fans alike will enjoy this, given the way the book is structured.

(Banned and Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, profanity, and because it was considered to be sexually explicit. Year: 2021)

Alex Gino

Alex Gino’s middle grade books offer an enlightening peek into the lived experiences of young LGBTQ+ people growing up in today’s world. “Melissa,” formerly titled “George” tells the story of a young transgender girl yearning to live authentically among her peers and family. When her middle school production of “Charlotte’s Web” is cast, she finds what feels like a perfect opportunity to step into the spotlight. Kids who like the work of other realistic fiction writers such as Kelly Yang, Ashley Herring Blake, and Renee Watson may find a new favorite author in Alex Gino.

(Banned and Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content, conflicting with a religious viewpoint, and not reflecting “the values of our community.” Year: 2020)

Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds

This history of racist thoughts in America is a Jason Reynolds “remix” of a bestselling adult nonfiction book, specially rewritten for children. Young history buffs who may find they have more questions than answers when learning about slavery in America will appreciate the thorough details provided in this well-paced and tonally appropriate work.

(Banned and Challenged for: author’s public statements, and because of claims that the book contains “selective storytelling incidents” and does not encompass racism against all people. Year: 2020)

Peter Parnell and Justin Richardson

This sweet (and true) story is about two male penguins at the Central Park Zoo who become a pair and “adopt” a fertilized egg to hatch and treat as their own. The lesson of the story is that families can be formed in more ways than one, and the illustrations of adorable penguins will certainly make young animal lovers smile.

(Banned and Challenged for: LGBTQIA+ content. Year: 2019)

Gayle E. Pitman

Historian Gayle E. Pitman uses this rhythmic picture book to depict some of the many communities in attendance at a Pride festival. The handy guide at the end is useful for answering questions kids may have about what they see in the illustrations. 

(Challenged and burned for: LGBTQIA+ content. Year: 2018)

Dan Barry

I read a journalistic-memoir recently, or at least a memoir by a journalist called Pull Me Up written by New York Times feature reporter, Dan Barry. This book rolls and pushes forward like a river of snow melt and is as tall and strong as the snowy peaks I can see from the foothills of the Rockies, very far away from Deer Park, Long Island where the author grew up in a working class Irish family that had quite a few glorious moments and some very hard times too. I learned about Barry’s ability to tell a story accurately, uproariously, poignantly. There are some scenes that are so good, I read them several times, but couldn’t underline–Library book!

Barry, the eldest of four children, grew up to become an award-winning journalist and he tells us that it was the tradition of storytelling that kept them all going and laughing. I understood completely.  

No monologues here, unless maybe it is very, very late and the friends are asleep in their cups. I loved this memoir.

M. F. K. Fisher

On my unexpected longer stay in the foothills of the Rockies, I read Fisher’s first memoir, creative non-fiction that is beautiful and evocative. Stories of growing up in the paradise that was Southern California. The book opens in 1911, Mary Francis Kennedy Fisher is 3 years old in a rented bungalow on the beach in Santa
Monica. She sees a man in a “flying machine” fall out of the sky and her mother thought her precocious little girl had made up an exciting and implausible story.  But it was true and her observational skills never left her. Thanks to these skills, I felt like I was present when the future food writer wrote of dining in the shack on the beach:

“When the bread left from weekends got stale, Aunt Gwen would soak it in milk and beaten eggs and fry it in bacon drippings, and we would sprinkle brown sugar on it for a treat. Then she would fry some bacon, pour most of its contents in a can, and make fried egg sandwiches for us to carry greasily in our pockets on our long treks in every direction of the wild, deserted country (Laguna Beach.)”

You finish one volume and there are plenty more, plus the cookbooks, i.e. “How to Cook a Wolf.” Spoiler, no wolves are cooked.

Anne R. Keene

Meticulously researched, this book tells the untold story of Ted Williams and the baseball team that helped win World War II.

Alexander McCall Smith

A book from the No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series. This series is always captivating and popular among mystery readers.

Taylor Jenkins Reid

A novel centering around four siblings who throw a grand, end of summer party that results in life changing consequences.

Jodi Picoult

This popular fiction writer’s latest novel is thought provoking and will hold your interest to its moving end.