Summer Staff Picks

What if you got to do everything in your life—twice? The heart of Mitch Albom’s newest novel is a stunning love story that dares to explore how our unchecked desires might mean losing what we’ve had all along. When he is eight years old, Alfie Logan discovers the magical ability to get a second chance at everything. He can undo any moment and live it again. The one catch: he must accept the consequences of his second try—for better or worse.

He grows up correcting his mistakes and saving himself from adolescent embarrassments. He even takes foolishly dangerous risks, just to see what it’s like to come close to death, before tapping back to safety. Eventually, Alfie turns his gift to his love life, studying his crushes and going back to make himself more appealing. In time, he falls deeply in love with Gianna, the woman he believes is the one. He seems to find contentment. But as the years pass, Alfie’s eye begins to wander. Which is when he learns a lone caveat to his power: once he undoes a love, that person can never fall in love with him again. Knowing if he gives into to temptation, he will risk losing what he has with Gianna, Alfie makes a choice that changes his life forever.

First-Time Caller by B.K. Borison

Aiden Valentine has a secret: he’s fallen out of love with love. And as the host of Baltimore’s romance hotline, that’s a bit of a problem. But when a young girl calls in to the station asking for dating advice for her mom, the interview goes viral, thrusting Aiden and Heartstrings into the limelight.

Lucie Stone thought she was doing just fine. She has a good job; an incredible family; and a smart, slightly devious kid. But when all of Baltimore is suddenly scrutinizing her love life—or lack thereof—she begins to question if she’s as happy as she thought. Maybe a little more romance wouldn’t be such a bad thing. Everyone wants Lucie to find her happy ending…even the handsome, temperamental man calling the shots. But when sparks start to fly behind the scenes, Lucie must make the final call between the radio-sponsored happily ever after or the man in the headphones next to her.

The Rose Arbor by Rhys Bowen

An investigation into a girl’s disappearance uncovers a mystery dating back to World War II in a haunting novel of suspense by the bestselling author of The Venice Sketchbook and The Paris Assignment.

London: 1968. Liz Houghton is languishing as an obituary writer at a London newspaper when a young girl’s disappearance captivates the city. If Liz can break the story, it’s her way into the newsroom. She already has a scoop: her best friend Marisa is a police officer who is assigned to the case.

Liz follows Marisa to Dorset, where they make another disturbing discovery. Twenty-five years ago, three girls disappeared while evacuating from London during the Blitz. One was found murdered in the woods near a train line. The other two were never seen again.

The Stolen Queen by Fiona Davis

From New York Times bestselling author Fiona Davis, an utterly addictive new novel that will transport you from New York City’s most glamorous party to the labyrinth streets of Cairo and back.
Egypt, 1936: When anthropology student Charlotte Cross is offered a coveted spot on an archaeological dig in Egypt’s Valley of the Kings, she leaps at the opportunity. But after an unbearable tragedy strikes, Charlotte knows her future will never be the same.

New York City, 1978: Eighteen-year-old Annie Jenkins is thrilled when she lands an opportunity to work for iconic former Vogue fashion editor Diana Vreeland, who’s in the midst of organizing the famous Met Gala, hosted at the museum and known across the city as the “party of the year.” Though Annie soon realizes she’ll have her work cut out for her, scrambling to meet Diana’s capricious demands and exacting standards.

Faebound by Saara El-Arifi

DIVIDED BY BLOOD.
IMPRISONED BY FATE.
BOUND BY DESIRE.

WELCOME TO THE INTOXICATING WORLD OF THE FAE.

Yeeran was born on the battlefield, lived on the battlefield, and one day, she knew, she’d die on the battlefield. As a warrior in the elven army, Yeeran has known nothing but violence her whole life. Her sister, Lettle, is trying to make a living as a diviner, seeking prophecies of a better future. When a fatal mistake leads to Yeeran’s exile from the Elven Lands, both sisters are forced into the terrifying wilderness beyond their borders. There they encounter the impossible: the fae court.

The Southern Book Club’s Guide to Slaying Vampires by Grady Hendrix

In every book we read, no one ever thought anything bad was happening until it was too late.

Patricia Campbell’s life has never felt smaller. Her husband is a workaholic, her teenage kids have their own lives, her senile mother-in-law needs constant care, and she’s always a step behind on her endless to-do list. The only thing keeping her sane is her book club, a close-knit group of Charleston women united by their love of true crime. At these meetings they’re as likely to talk about the Manson family as they are about their own families.

One evening after book club, Patricia is viciously attacked by an elderly neighbor, bringing the neighbor’s handsome nephew, James Harris, into her life. James is well traveled and well read, and he makes Patricia feel things she hasn’t felt in years. But when children on the other side of town go missing, their deaths written off by local police, Patricia has reason to believe James Harris is more of a Bundy than a Brad Pitt. The real problem? James is a monster of a different kind—and Patricia has already invited him in.

People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry

Two best friends. Ten summer trips. One last chance to fall in love.

Poppy and Alex. Alex and Poppy. They have nothing in common. She’s a wild child; he wears khakis. She has insatiable wanderlust; he prefers to stay home with a book. And somehow, ever since a fateful car share home from college many years ago, they are the very best of friends. For most of the year they live far apart–she’s in New York City, and he’s in their small hometown–but every summer, for a decade, they have taken one glorious week of vacation together.

Until two years ago, when they ruined everything. They haven’t spoken since.

Just for the Summer by Abby Jimenez

Justin has a curse, and thanks to a Reddit thread, it’s now all over the internet. Every woman he dates goes on to find their soul mate the second they break up. When a woman slides into his DMs with the same problem, they come up with a plan: They’ll date each other and break up. Their curses will cancel each other’s out, and they’ll both go on to find the love of their lives. It’s a bonkers idea… and it just might work. Emma hadn’t planned that her next assignment as a traveling nurse would be in Minnesota, but she and her best friend agree that dating Justin is too good of an opportunity to pass up, especially when they get to rent an adorable cottage on a private island on Lake Minnetonka.

It’s supposed to be a quick fling, just for the summer. But when Emma’s toxic mother shows up and Justin has to assume guardianship of his three siblings, they’re suddenly navigating a lot more than they expected–including catching real feelings for each other. What if this time Fate has actually brought the perfect pair together?

The Tenant by Freida McFadden

There’s no place like home…

Blake Porter is riding high, until he’s not. Fired abruptly from his job as a VP of marketing and unable to make the mortgage payments on the new brownstone he shares with his fiancée, he’s desperate to make ends meet.

Enter Whitney. Beautiful, charming, down-to-earth, and looking for a room to rent. She’s exactly what Blake’s looking for. Or is she?

Because something isn’t quite right. The neighbors start treating Blake differently. The smell of decay permeates his home, no matter how hard he scrubs. Strange noises jar him awake in the middle of the night. And soon Blake fears someone knows his darkest secrets…

Gods of Jade and Shadow by Silvia Moreno-Garcia

The Jazz Age is in full swing, but Casiopea Tun is too busy cleaning the floors of her wealthy grandfather’s house to listen to any fast tunes. Nevertheless, she dreams of a life far from her dusty small town in southern Mexico. A life she can call her own.

Yet this new life seems as distant as the stars, until the day she finds a curious wooden box in her grandfather’s room. She opens it—and accidentally frees the spirit of the Mayan god of death, who requests her help in recovering his throne from his treacherous brother. Failure will mean Casiopea’s demise, but success could make her dreams come true.

In the company of the strangely alluring god and armed with her wits, Casiopea begins an adventure that will take her on a cross-country odyssey from the jungles of Yucatán to the bright lights of Mexico City—and deep into the darkness of the Mayan underworld.

Done and Dusted by Lyla Sage

She’s off-limits, but he’s never been good at following the rules.

For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.

Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.

Teens

Far from the Tree by Robin Benway

Being the middle child has its ups and downs.
But for Grace, an only child who was adopted at birth, discovering that she is a middle child is a different ride altogether. After putting her own baby up for adoption, she goes looking for her biological family, including–
Maya, her loudmouthed younger bio sister, who has a lot to say about their newfound family ties. Having grown up the snarky brunette in a house full of chipper redheads, she’s quick to search for traces of herself among these not-quite-strangers. And when her adopted family’s long-buried problems begin to explode to the surface, Maya can’t help but wonder where exactly it is that she belongs.
And Joaquin, their stoic older bio brother, who has no interest in bonding over their shared biological mother. After seventeen years in the foster care system, he’s learned that there are no heroes, and secrets and fears are best kept close to the vest, where they can’t hurt anyone but him.

Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life by Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan; illustrated by Angela Rizza and Daniel Long

With foil on the cover, gilded edges and a ribbon for keeping your place, Dinosaurs and Other Prehistoric Life makes a beautiful gift book for any child who can’t get enough of the wonderful world around them! Be sure to check out the other books in this collection: An Anthology of Intriguing Animals, The Wonders of Nature and The Mysteries of the Universe. Find out more about why Pachycephalosaurus had such a thick head, how a coral fossil can be used to figure out how long a prehistoric year was, and which fossil was thought to protect people from poison. Kids can delve into the Palaeozoic, Mesozoic and Cenozoic eras right through to early humans. It’s perfect for storytime and independent exploration. Go on a time-traveling adventure through Earth’s ancient past! This compendium includes remarkable fossils with stunning photographs and illustrations that children will love pouring over time and again. Written in a storybook format, young paleontologists will discover the myths and legends and key facts surrounding their favorite organisms, as well as some they have never heard of!

The Summer I Turned Pretty by Jenny Han

Belly has an unforgettable summer in this stunning start to the Summer I Turned Pretty series from the New York Times bestselling author of To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (soon to be a major motion picture ), Jenny Han.

Belly’s never been the kind of girl that things happen to. Year after year, she’s spent her summers at the beach house with Conrad and Jeremiah. The boys never noticed Belly noticing them. And every summer she hoped it would be different. This time, it was. But the summer Belly turned pretty was the summer that changed everything. For better, and for worse.

What the River Knows by Isabel Ibáñez

Bolivian-Argentinian Inez Olivera belongs to the glittering upper society of nineteenth century Buenos Aires, and like the rest of the world, the town is steeped in old world magic that’s been largely left behind or forgotten. Inez has everything a girl might want, except for the one thing she yearns the most: her globetrotting parents — who frequently leave her behind.

When she receives word of their tragic deaths, Inez inherits their massive fortune and a mysterious guardian, an archeologist in partnership with his Egyptian brother-in-law. Yearning for answers, Inez sails to Cairo, bringing her sketch pads and a golden ring her father sent to her for safekeeping before he died. But upon her arrival, the old world magic tethered to the ring pulls her down a path where she soon discovers there’s more to her parent’s disappearance than what her guardian led her to believe.

Fireworks by Alice Lin

Seventeen-year-old Lulu Li has her last summer before college all planned out. But her plans go awry when she learns that Kite Xu, her old next-door neighbor and childhood friend, will be returning home from South Korea. Lulu hasn’t seen Kite since eighth grade, after he left the country to pursue a career in K-pop, eventually debuting in the boy group Karnival. When Karnival announces that Kite will be taking a break from K-pop activities for mysterious reasons, the opportunity to rekindle their friendship arises.

Star-struck and nostalgic, Lulu tries to reconnect with Kite. As they continue to bond and reminisce over the past, Kite’s sister, Connie, warns Lulu not to get too close to her brother. The harder Lulu tries to deny her feelings, the stronger they get. But how could a K-pop star ever fall for a nobody from home? And even if he did, is there any way for their relationship to end but badly?Underlined is a line of totally addictive romance, thriller, and horror paperback original titles coming to you fast and furious each month. Enjoy everything you want to read the way you want to read it.

I Feel Awful, Thanks by Lara Pickle

A lushly illustrated debut graphic novel that explores the hardfought journey of self-acceptance in a complex world of swirling emotions and powerful potions.
Joana has dragons inside her. Can she tame them before they burn her life down?

Joana is a young witch who secured her dream job with a coven in London, her favorite city, where she can dedicate herself to creating potions, her favorite activity! However, she will soon discover the reality of city life is not so idyllic. Finding a flat is an ordeal, her “dream job” is stressful, and she’s totally alone. Little by little, she makes her place, but fatigue, sadness, and doubts threaten to topple her hard-earned success . . . until she starts talking to a professional who helps her realize in order to take care of herself, she must know herself.

Piecing Me Together by Renée Watson

Jade believes she must get out of her poor neighborhood if she’s ever going to succeed. Her mother tells her to take advantage of every opportunity that comes her way. And Jade has: every day she rides the bus away from her friends and to the private school where she feels like an outsider, but where she has plenty of opportunities. But some opportunities she doesn’t really welcome, like an invitation to join Women to Women, a mentorship program for at-risk girls.

Just because her mentor is black and graduated from the same high school doesn’t mean she understands where Jade is coming from. She’s tired of being singled out as someone who needs help, someone people want to fix. Jade wants to speak, to create, to express her joys and sorrows, her pain and her hope. Maybe there are some things she could show other women about understanding the world and finding ways to be real, to make a difference.

Sunkissed by Kasie West

Links: SCLENDS

Avery has always used music as an escape. But after her best friend betrays her, even her perfectly curated playlists can’t help her forget what happened. To make matters worse, her parents have dragged her and her social-media-obsessed sister to a remote family camp for two months of fun. Just when Avery is ready to give up on the summer altogether, she meets Brooks–mysterious, frustratingly charming Brooks–who just happens to be on staff–which means he’s off-limits.

What starts as a disaster turns into. . . something else. As the outside world falls away, Avery embarks on a journey of self-discovery. And when Brooks offers her the chance of a lifetime, she must figure out how far is she willing to go to find out what she wants and who she wants to be.

Fan favorite Kasie West is back with another unforgettable summer romance that reminds us falling in love is full of wonder, heartache, and–most of all–surprises.

Middle Grade

Only in America: The Weird and Wonderful 50 States by Heather Alexander; illustrated by Alan Berry Rhys

Links: SCLENDS

Only in America explores the strangest claims to fame and the most unusual place names every state has to offer. Visit the city of Dinosaur, drop by the Pizza Museum, find out where it is illegal to feed a pig without a permit, and check out the world’s only “carhenge” (that’s right, Stonehenge reconstructed using cars). Among many other marvels, discover:

The longest gum wrapper chain (over 20 miles!)
Which state has the highest ratio of cows to humans in the country
The origin of shoo-fly pie, a molasses cake baked in a pie crust
The world’s largest (fake) bug, a 58-foot blue termite
Where “dinner” means lunch and “supper” means dinner

One Big Open Sky by Lesa Cline-Ransome

1879, Mississippi. Young dreamer Lettie may have her head in the stars, but her body is on a covered wagon heading westward. Her father, Thomas, promises that Nebraska will be everything the family needs: an opportunity to claim the independence they’ve strived for over generations on their very own plot of land. But Thomas’ hopes—and mouth—are bigger than his ability to follow through. With few supplies and even less money, the only thing that feels certain is danger.

Right after the war ended/and we were free/we believed/all of us did/that couldn’t nothing hurt us/the way master had when we were slaves/Couldn’t no one tell us/how to live/how to die. Lettie, her mother, Sylvia, and young teacher Philomena are free from slavery—but bound by poverty, access to opportunity, and patriarchal social structures. Will these women survive the hardships of their journey? And as Thomas’ desire for control overpowers his common sense, will they truly be free once they get there?

Ellis Island: Immigration and the American Dream by Felipe Galindo Feggo; illustrated by Tait Howard

Turn back the clock with History Comics! In this volume, take a visit to Ellis Island and learn America’s immigration story.
Many Americans know someone who can trace their ancestry through Ellis Island. In addition to being part of the world-famous Statue of Liberty National Monument, this modest-sized piece of land once housed the main immigration processing center for the U.S., documenting upwards of 12 million people between 1892 and 1954! Over the generations, Ellis Island has taken on an almost mythic status as a beacon of hope to those seeking freedom and refuge from persecution. But how did it all get started?
Our past is only the beginning with History Comics, a riveting nonfiction graphic novel series from First Second!

Fortune Tellers by Lisa Greenwald

What if your fortunes really came true?

Once upon a time, Millie, Nora, and Bea were best friends who loved slumber parties, exploring their Manhattan neighborhood, and making fortune tellers with their Magic Markers. Now, in the summer before seventh grade, they haven’t spoken in over a year—thanks to a big fight, the pandemic shutting down their school, and each girl moving away for different reasons. The girls routinely check each other’s social media, but none of them can muster the courage to reach out, even if they might want to.

The Doomsday Detectives: How Walter and Luis Alvarez Solved the Mystery of Dinosaur Extinction by Cindy Jenson-Elliott; illustrated by Theo Nicole Lorenz

Father-son scientists Luis and Walter Alvarez piece together one of the greatest mysteries of all time: What really happened to the dinosaurs? Dive into this fun and informative middle grade nonfiction book, which outlines the many important scientific discoveries that aided the Alvarezes in their search for answers.Cretaceous earth was known as the age of dinosaurs. But really, it was the age of LIFE–scaled and feathered, furry and leathered, budding, blooming, roaring, zooming, buzzing, glorious LIFE–until…

For 66 million years, the mystery of what happened to the dinosaurs lay hidden under layers of sand and silt, until scientists began to piece together the puzzle of what happened on the last day of the ancient world. This is the story of how scientists add to the sum total of human knowledge, one question at a time, and help us understand our beautiful, tragic, and magnificent world.

A Bit of Earth by Karuna Riazi

Links: SCLENDS | Hoopla

Maria Latif is used to not having a space of her own. But what happens when she feels the sudden urge to put down roots in the most unexpected of places?

Growing up in Pakistan, Maria Latif has been bounced between reluctant relatives for as long as she can remember–first because of her parents’ constant travel, and then because of their deaths. Maria has always been a difficult child, and it never takes long for her guardians to tire of her. So when old friends of her parents offer to “give her a better life” in the United States, Maria is shipped to a host family across the world. When Maria arrives on Long Island, things are not quite what she was expecting. Mr. Clayborne has left on an extended business trip, Mrs. Clayborne seems emotionally fraught, and inexplicable things keep happening in the Claybornes’ sprawling house. And then Maria finds a locked gate to an off-limits garden. Since she’s never been good at following rules, Maria decides to investigate and discovers something she never thought she’d find: a place where she feels at home.

Bloom by Nicola Skinner

Links: SCLENDS | Hoopla

Sorrel Fallowfield is growing up – in a REALLY surprising way . . .

Sorrel Fallowfield is so good at being good that teachers come to her when they need help remembering the school rules – and there are LOTS. Luckily, Sorrel doesn’t have any trouble following them, until the day she discovers a faded packet of Surprising Seeds buried under a tree in her backyard.

Now she’s hearing voices, seeing things, experiencing an almost unstoppable urge to plant the Seeds in some very unusual places… and completely failing to win her school’s competition to find The Most Obedient Child of the School. And all that’s before flowers start growing out of her head…

Children

How Sweet the Sound by Kwame Alexander; illustrated by Charly Palmer

Featuring artists ranging from Miles Davis to Kendrick Lamar, dive into this stunningly illustrated celebration of the history of Black music in America by the award-winning author of The Undefeated.

Listen to the sound of survival, courage, and democracy–the soundtrack of America. Hear Billie Holiday’s raspy, mournful voice, and tap your foot to Louis Armstrong’s trumpet. Scream with James Brown and bop your head to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five. Can you spot the 80+ references to artists like Robert Johnson, Ella Fitzgerald, Jimi Hendrix, Whitney Houston, Lauryn Hill, and Beyonce?

How Does a Seed Sprout? by Eric Carle

In this nonfiction story, young readers explore the transformation of a seed into a tree. The miracles of nature come to life in this early-learning series centered around life cycles, featuring simple text and Eric Carle’s classic illustrations!

Learn how a seed becomes a tree with Eric Carle’s classic artwork and The Very Hungry Caterpillar!

Rumble, Rumble, Dinosaur by Katrina Charman; illustrated by Nick Sharratt

Set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star, this riotous dinosaur adventure is perfect for dino lovers!

Follow along with a whole host of different dinosaurs as they go through one exciting dino day! Join the friendly stegosaurus, the gigantic diplodocus, the fearsome T. Rex, and others as they roar their way from morning to bedtime! This text is set to the tune of Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star, making it perfect for storytime and reading aloud. With bright colors, playful rhymes, and plenty of dinosaurs, this adventure provides endless fun for dino fans both big and small. Little ones will love singing along to the tune of a favorite nursery rhyme!

Worms Are Our Friends by Toni D’Alia; illustrated by Mimi Purnell

Worms Are Our Friends invites preschool readers into a stunning garden to admire the hard work of one tiny worm, and to marvel at the essential role it plays in nature. Down in the garden, one fine, sunny day, a young little worm gets ready to play. Each book in the bestselling ‘Our Friends in the Garden’ series teaches preschoolers about different creatures found in our gardens, and introduces them to the way insects and bugs contribute to our ecosystem. Worms Are Our Friends showcases the art of hugely popular digital artist Mimi Purnell, and with its stunning textured and sparkling cover, it is the perfect special gift for any young nature-lover. Discover how earthworms help our soil, plants and environment thrive, and encourage your kids to love nature exploration and outdoor learning.

Dinosaur’s Wobbly Bottom by Kit Frost

Can you join in with triceratops and their dinosaur friends as they do the Wobbly Bottom dance?

Berry Song by Michaela Goade

On an island at the edge of a wide, wild sea, a girl and her grandmother gather gifts from the earth. Salmon from the stream, herring eggs from the ocean, and in the forest, a world of berries.

Salmonberry, Cloudberry, Blueberry, Nagoonberry. Huckleberry, Snowberry, Strawberry, Crowberry.

Through the seasons, they sing to the land as the land sings to them. Brimming with joy and gratitude, in every step of their journey, they forge a deeper kinship with both the earth and the generations that came before, joining in the song that connects us all.

The Watermelon Seed by Greg Pizzoli