Spring 2021 Picks Adult Fiction The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows A World War II novel like no other, Shaffer and Barrow’s book is set on an island off the coast of England. When the German’s occupy the island, the residents devise a unique way to break curfew by starting a book club. The club is filled with an eccentric cast of characters who begin writing to an author on the English mainland. This story is filled with warmth and joy, and it will be treasured by many. The Language of Flowers by Vanessa Diffenbaugh “The Victorian language of flowers was used to convey romantic expressions: honeysuckle for devotion, asters for patience, and red roses for love. But for Victoria Jones, it’s been more useful in communicating mistrust and solitude. After a childhood spent in the foster-care system, she is unable to get close to anybody, and her only connection to the world is through flowers and their meanings. Now eighteen and emancipated from the system with nowhere to go, Victoria realizes she has a gift for helping others through the flowers she chooses for them. But an unexpected encounter with a mysterious stranger has her questioning what’s been missing in her life. And when she’s forced to confront a painful secret from her past, she must decide whether it’s worth risking everything for a second chance at happiness.”” –Amazon.com My Hands Came Away Red by Lisa McKay A mission trip to Indonesia goes horribly wrong when civil war breaks out on a nearby island. The team of teenagers is forced to flee into the mountainous jungle before they, too, become victims of the growing violence. This is a nail biter that will keep readers on the edge of their seats. Adult Fiction One by One by Ruth Ware This suspenseful thriller is set in a ski chalet in France. An idyllic company retreat goes very wrong when an avalanche hits and it seems you can’t trust any of your co-workers when it comes to survival on the mountainside. Ware weaves a web of relationship entanglements and various twists and turns that will keep you wondering who will be left standing at the end. The Secret Life of Bees by Sue Monk Kid “Set in South Carolina in 1964, The Secret Life of Bees tells the story of Lily Owens, whose life has been shaped around the blurred memory of the afternoon her mother was killed. When Lily's fierce-hearted black ‘stand-in mother,’ Rosaleen, insults three of the deepest racists in town, Lily decides to spring them both free. They escape to Tiburon, South Carolina--a town that holds the secret to her mother's past. Taken in by an eccentric trio of black beekeeping sister, Lily is introduced to their mesmerizing world of bees and honey, and the Black Madonna.” Amazon.com The Shoemaker’s Wife by Adriana Trigiani The Shoemaker’s Wife is filled with drama, romance, and war while spanning the ocean. Italy and the States are far geographically, but not when it comes to matters of the heart. This is a beautiful story told by a master storyteller. Adult Nonfiction The Mayo Clinic: Faith, Hope, Science by David Blistein and Ken Burns Learn the history of an amazing medical facility that began more than a century ago. Hundreds of photos document the Mayo Clinic’s transformation from a one-room office to an award-winning facility that focuses on service and innovation. This is a very interesting read. No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox This self-professed optimist revealed getting a dose of “this is too much.” Luckily, wonderfully supportive family, friends, and medical providers were all a part of the process of pulling out of the depths. Some insights: “Good things can come from bad things.” -M.F. “Accept what has happened in the past. Embrace the present. Remain open to the probability that it will get better in the future.” -The Class of 2020 “With gratitude, optimism becomes sustainable.” -S.P. YA Fiction Legend by Marie Lu “What was once the western United States is now home to the Republic, a nation perpetually at war with its neighbors. Born into an elite family in one of the Republic's wealthiest districts, fifteen-year-old June is a prodigy being groomed for success in the Republic's highest military circles. Born into the slums, fifteen- year-old Day is the country's most wanted criminal. But his motives may not be as malicious as they seem… Full of nonstop action, suspense, and romance, this novel is sure to move readers as much as it thrills.” — Amazon.com The Outsiders by S.E. Hinton A classic worth reading over and over again, The Outsiders is as discussion worthy today as it was when it was first published 50+ years ago. It is the first realistic fiction title for young adults and was considered by the publisher to be too violent for a female author, so initials were used in place of her first name. The story pits the Socs and Greasers against each other. Readers will meet Ponyboy, Sodapop, Darry, Johnny, and Two-Bit, characters they won’t soon forget. Pride by Ibi Zoboi “Zuri Benitez believes Bushwick, their economically stressed neighborhood in Brooklyn, is a good neighborhood. Zuri doesn’t welcome change, especially when it could alter the culture of the neighborhood. When the Darcy family moves in across the street, it takes time for Zuri to see that the new neighbors are respectful of the neighborhood.” –MCLS Teen Services Librarians 2019 Rules of the Road by Joan Bauer Sixteen-year-old Jenna turns shoe-store spy when her boss, the owner of the Gladstone Shoes dynasty, hires her as a salesclerk. First, Jenna must drive her aged boss across the country in an equally aged vehicle, but the lessons learned by both occupants spans the generations. Shift by Jennifer Bradbury When two high school friends head out on a cross-country bike trip, one goes missing. Unfortunately, the other doesn’t know it because the two had a fight mid trip and went their separate ways. Bradbury chronicles what happens to both in this shocking and highly suspenseful story. J-Fiction Lizzie Bright and the Buckminster Boy by Gary D. Schmidt “In 1911, Turner Buckminster hates his new home of Phippsburg, Maine, but things improve when he meets Lizzie Bright Griffin, an African American girl from a poor, nearby island community founded by former slaves.” Amazon.com Wednesday Wars by Gary D. Schmidt This hilarious story centers on seventh grader Holling Hoodhood and his many trials. Holling is forced to spend his Wednesday afternoons with his teacher because his classmates are in religion class. Holling’s stint in “solitary confinement” is anything but quiet. Bullies, rats, baseball heroes, and even cream puffs invade his space. J-Nonfiction Do You Really Want to Meet a Moose by Cari Meister Learn about moose in this colorful book, including where they live, what they eat, how they spend their time, how to find them, how big they grow, and more. Fingerprint Drawing Book by Doug Emberley Learn how to make a cast of characters and objects, including people, flowers, frogs, cars, dragons, and more, using your fingerprints! Kids of all ages will enjoy creating lots of pictures using Mr. Emberley’s easy- to-learn techniques. Mason Jar Science by Jonathan Adolph Try 40 slimy, squishy, super-cool experiments using common household products and a glass mason jar. Fun activities include making a lava lamp, a string of stalactites, ink from berries, a bug vacuum, a light bender, and more! Recent Picks Adult Fiction Past Adult Fiction Past Adult Nonfiction Adult Nonfiction Past YA Nonfiction YA Fiction Past YA Nonfiction YA Nonfiction Past J Fiction J Fiction Previous Selections Adult Fiction All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr The Kremlin Conspiracy by Joel C. Rosenberg As Time Goes By by Mary Higgins Clark The Life We Bury by Allen Eskens The Banker’s Wife by Cristina Alger The Lightkeeper’s Daughters by Jean E. Pendziwol Before We Were Yours Lisa Wingate Look for Me by Lisa Gardner Beneath the Scarlet Sky by Mark Sullivan Lost Roses by Martha Hall Kelly Best Day Ever Kaira Rouda The Masterpiece by Francine Rivers Blackout by Marc Elsberg Memory of Violets by Hazel Gaynor The Book Woman of Troublesome Creek Meet Me in Monaco by Hazel Gaynor by Kim Michele Richardson News of the World by Paulette Jiles Cape Refuge by Terri Blackstock The Only Woman in the Room by Benedict Carnegie’s Maid by Marie Benedict The Rent Collector by Camron Wright Death of Ivan Llyich by Leo Tolstoy Resistance Women by Jennifer Chiaverini Eight Perfect Murders by Peter Swanson The Sandcastle Girls by Chris Bohjalian Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine The Sound of Glass Karen White by Gail Honeyman Stars Over Sunset Boulevard by Susan Meissner Eternal Life by Dara Horn Still Alice by Lisa Genova The Fifth Doctrine by Julia Whelan The Story of Arthur Truluv by Elizabeth Berg Finding Dorothy by Elizabeth Letts The Storyteller’s Secret by Sejal Badani The First Lady by James Patterson The Supreme Macaroni Company by Adriana Trigiani The Flight Girls by Noelle Salazar The Tattooist of Auschwitz by Heather Morris The Fountains of Silence by Rita Sepetys The Testaments by Margaret Atwood The 49th Mystic by Ted Dekker We Must Be Brave by Frances Liardet Girl Who Knew Too Much by Amanda Quick We Were the Lucky Ones Georgia Hunter A Good Neighbor by Therese Anne Fowler A Willing Murder by Jude Deveraux The Indigo Girl by Natasha Boyd Winter World by A.G.