Since no one can see our staff pick shelves in person, here they are virtually. Enjoy!
Greta (aged 3) can't get enough of any and all Kevin Henkes, but particularly his Penny series. Cozy and quick tellings of a little mouse and her daily doings. Simple and sweet, yet engaging. - Becca
Also featured in this series: Penny and her Doll and Penny and her Sled
A family favorite for instant kid giggles. You can't go wrong with Mo Willems. - Becca
Theo (aged 5) just discovered Zoey and Sassafras. A kid scientist who helps magical creatures that come to her barn for help? Count us in. Even better, Asia Citro details proper use of the scientific method in all of Zoey's experiments. - Becca
Also featured in this series: Monsters and Mold, Merhorses and Bubbles, Caterflies and Ice, The Pod and the Bog, Unicorns and Germs, Grumplets and Pests
Ada Twist, Rosie Revere, Iggy Peck, and Sophia Valdez are back in Andrea Beaty's new Questioneers chapter book series and they do not disappoint! - Becca & Theo (age 5)
Also in this series: Rosie Revere and the Raucous Riviters and Iggy Peck and the Mysterious Mansion
The cover alone was enough to sell me on this dystopian novel where women have turned into fungus. Fungus! - Gracie
If you haven't gotten into Amy Stewart yet, this is a treat you must add to your quarantine reads. - Gracie
Essex Serpent was one of my favorites, and Sarah Perry's following two books have not disappointed! - Gracie
I can't believe I haven't read this yet, but now that I have *more time* it is at the top of my pile! - Gracie
A perfect summer mystery for middle grade readers about new friendship, redemption, and exposing the racist history a town would rather forget. - Steph
Millie Quint is the embodiment of all my childhood dreams of running away to a fancy boarding school in a foreign country to find yourself and find true love, and I adored every moment of her journey in HER ROYAL HIGHNESS. Every small nod to PRINCE CHARMING brought a smile to my lips, and yet Millie and Flora stand entirely on their own--a complex and developing romance trying to figure itself amidst the international pressure of crowns and tabloids. - Steph
This is one of those graphic novels that I would periodically shout at whoever was closest "OH MY GOD THEY DID THIS AND SAID THAT AND AHHHH!" as I rolled around the floor in an overabundance of feelings. Everyone needs to pick it up, and I can't wait to check out Alice Oseman's YA novels soon. - Steph
A riveting family saga perfect for fans of Celeste Ng. Over the course of several decades, we follow the Sorenson family: Marilyn, David and their four daughters. A long-held secret comes to the surface in the early chapters and as novel moves forward we go back-and-forth in time to discover how we got there. It's a beautiful exploration of love and family and my words here don't even come close to doing it justice. It's simply marvelous. - Emily
Two sisters in Philly. One's a cop, the other is suffering from the opioid epidemic. The sisters haven't spoken in months, but as bodies of known women struggling with addiction start to surface, Mickey (the cop) risks everything to find her sister. This is a really meaty mystery, great for fans of Tana French. - Emily
I love Emma Straub. Similar to The Most Fun We Ever Had by Claire Lombardo, it's a sweeping family saga about secrets, the mistakes we make, misperceptions, and devotion. - Emily
If you're looking for something like THE VEGETARIAN or FEVER DREAM, this is your next book. Jia Jia finds her husband in the bathtub, dead, and in a compromising position. He's clutching a drawing of a creature, half man/half fish that Jia Jia (an artist) becomes obsessed with finding the origins of. -Emily
Alex's Staff Pick
Alex's Staff Pick
Alex's Staff Pick
Alex's Staff Pick
Alex's Staff Pick
Alex's Staff Pick
Abdul El-Sayed, former health director for the city of Detroit, adroitly mixes memoir and policy in his new book, Healing Politics. El-Sayed's fascinating life story as a young leader in Democratic politics is compelling on its own, but the diagnosis of issues facing the American health care system and the road map for a progressive path forward to better national health make it a must-read. It's a great companion to his podcast, America Dissected, which is covering the pandemic with twice-weekly episodes. - Josh
As I've been quarantined during the pandemic, I've had a really tough time focusing on longer pieces of writing. However, poetry (which is part of my daily reading intake anyway) has become a lifeline, and a rare point of focus. In her third collection, Open Your Mouth Like a Bell, Mindy Nettifee is as accessible as ever while working at the height of her powers. This work is brave, bold, courageous and candid. As she writes in the poem "Election Eve," 'Sincerity is the only currency I bring.' - Josh
When we started carrying zines and books from Oregon's Microcosm Publishing last year, they quickly became one of my favorite publishers, particularly for their punk ethos and bold editorial choices. What About Tomorrow hits both those points, covering the history of punk music in Russia from its genesis in the late 70s to today. My favorite format for music writing may be oral history, and What About Tomorrow occupies a nice place in music writing alongside Please Kill Me and Everybody Loves Our Town. I'll admit to ignorance of the punk scene (or, really, any music scene) in Russia before reading Herbert's book, and it's a fascinating chunk of history. - Josh
In her debut work, emergency room physician Michele Harper puts readers in the scrubs of an African American woman in a profession that is overwhelmingly male and white. Harper writes with stunning beauty, and imparts lessons learned from her work - and specifically from ten of her patients - through her career. The clever structure lets the author address discrete issues, from sexism and profiling to poverty and health case system issues, head on and with detail. - Josh
