Staff Picks

Every month we take a few minutes to share the books we're reading. This is a list of recent favorites. STAFF PICKS

Mr. President and the First American War President's Day falls on February 20 this year, and with the upcoming election on everyone's mind, there's no better time to explore the presidents of our past. In Mr. and Mrs. Madison's War, historian Hugh Howard commemorates the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812 with an illuminating assessment of America's first and least understood war. Americans and the British clashed on land and sea, and from these battles arose defining elements of U.S. independence (including "The Star-Spangled Banner"). In addressing the war, Howard creates a revealing portrait of President James Madison and his wife, the leading figures in a pivotal moment in American history. History fans will enjoy reading about this important, oft-forgotten war through the eyes of America's first couple.

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Diary of a Wimpy Kid 6: Cabin Fever By Kinney, Jeff 2011-11 - ABRAMS 9781419702235 Check Our Catalog The sixth book in the phenomenal bestselling series. 224 pp. 6,000,000 print. (Children's - Ages 9-12) …More

Heart and Soul: The Story of America and African Americans By Nelson, Kadir Illustrator Nelson, Kadir 2011-09 - Balzer & Bray/Harperteen 9780061730740 Check Our Catalog 2012 Coretta Scott King Award Winner-Author The story of America and African Americans is a story of hope and inspiration and unwavering courage. But it is also the story of injustice; of a country divided by law, education, and wealth; of a people whose struggles and achievements helped define their country. Kadir Nelson, one of this generation's most accomplished, award-winning artists, has created an epic yet intimate introduction to the history of America and African Americans, from colonial days through the civil rights movement. Written in the voice of an "Everywoman," an unnamed narrator whose forebears came to this country on slave ships and who lived to cast her vote for the first African American president, "Heart and Soul" touches on some of the great transformative events and small victories of that history. This inspiring book demonstrates that in gaining their freedom and equal rights, African Americans helped our country achieve its promise of liberty and justice--the true heart and soul of our nation. …More

Basketball Belles: How Two Teams and One Scrappy Player Put Women's Hoops on the Map By Macy, Sue Illustrator Collins, Matt 2011-02 - Holiday House 9780823421633 Check Our Catalog This dynamic picture book chronicles the story of how women's basketball began. …More

Food Allergies By Taylor-Butler, Christine 2008-09 - Children's Press(CT) 9780531207321 Check Our Catalog …More

The Monster Health Book: A Guide to Eating Healthy, Being Active & Feeling Great for Monsters & Kids! By Miller, Edward 2008-04 - Holiday House 9780823421398 Check Our Catalog Beginning with a concise discussion of each food group and the newly redesigned food pyramid, and including sections on exercise, drugs, and self-esteem, this informative and lively book will help kids pick up nourishing foods and get into wholesome habits. Gr. 2-4. Miller, who illustrated Barbara Seuling's" From Head to Toe "(2002), contributes both words and pictures in another book about kids and their bodies, which focuses on healthy lifestyle choices. Opening spreads introduce the basic food groups, followed by pages about the day's early meals (breakfast, lunch, and snack), with menu suggestions for each. Later sections touch on physical and mental health: exercise, sleep, moods, and things to avoid (drugs and alcohol). The text is sometimes confusingly brief, and children will need adults to expand on such subjects as eating disorders and steroids, as well as on some sophisticated vocabulary defined). The jumbled format, with brief text boxes and bright pictures cr …More

Middle School, the Worst Years of My Life By Patterson, James Author Tebbetts, Chris Illustrator Park, Laura 2011-06 - Little Brown and Company 9780316101875 Check Our Catalog With his best friend awarding him points, Rafe Khatchadorian tries to break every rule in his school's oppressive Code of Conduct. But when Rafe's game starts to catch up with him, he'll have to decide if winning is all that matters, or if he's finally ready to face the rules, bullies, and truths he's been avoiding. Illustrations. …More

Grossology By Branzei, Sylvia Illustrator Keely, Jack 2002-09 - Price Stern Sloan 9780843149142 Check Our Catalog The original "Grossology" is back with a new format and is jam-packed with even more revolting yet scientifically accurate information. Full-color illustrations. …More

Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry By Taylor, Mildred D. 2004-04 - Puffin Books 9780142401125 Check Our Catalog The story of one African-American family fighting to stay together and strong in the face of brutal racist attacks, illness, poverty, and betrayal in the Deep South of the 1930s. …More

A Year Down Yonder By Peck, Richard Illustrator Freeman, Don Illustrator Peck, Richard 2002-12 - Puffin Books 9780142300701 Check Our Catalog The winner of the 2001 Newbery Medal continues the story begun in the Newbery Honor Book "A Long Way from Chicago." Now 15-years old, Mary Alice is going to spend an entire year with her unpredictable Grandma Dowdel--a woman well known for shaking up her neighbors. …More

Happy Accidents By Lynch, Jane 2011-09 - Voice 9781401341763 Check Our Catalog A triumphant memoir recounting the inner struggles of one of the most versatile actresses working today. …More

11/22/63 By King, Stephen 2011-11 - Scribner Book Company 9781451627282 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title King's heart-stoppingly dramatic new novel is about a man who travels back in time to prevent the JFK assassination. Jake Epping is a 35-year-old high-school English teacher in Lisbon Falls, Maine, who makes extra money teaching adults in the GED program. Jake's friend Al, who runs the local diner, divulges a secret: his storeroom is a portal to 1958. 864 pp. 2,000,000 print. (General Fiction) …More

Serendipity By Phillips, Carly 2011-09 - Berkley 9780425243831 Check Our Catalog Faith Harrington is a classic girl of privilege-until her father is convicted for running a Ponzi scheme. Now she's back in her hometown, where she runs into her teenage crush-dark, brooding Ethan Barron, who's no stranger to scandal himself. …More

Destiny By Phillips, Carly 2012-01 - Berkley 9780425245743 Check Our Catalog Nash can't help but admire Kelly Moss's confidence and beauty. But he's forced to keep his distance because getting involved with Kelly could destroy his relationship with his newly discovered teenage half-sister, Tess. And Kelly has other reasons for keeping her distance--like the secret she knows Nash will never forgive. Original. …More

Hellcats: The Epic Story of World War II's Most Daring Submarine Raid By Sasgen, Peter 2011-11 - New American Library 9780451234858 Check Our Catalog "Sasgen vividly recounts the pulsating drama of the Hellcats." - "Naval History" In 1945, American sub force commanders believed that if the Japanese merchant fleet was sunk, the enemy would be forced to surrender. The problem: the ships were protected in the Sea of Japan by a barrier of deadly minefields. Here, Peter Sasgen tells the gripping story of Operation Barney, a daunting mission in which nine submarines, nicknamed Hellcats, were tasked with getting through the mines and decimating the enemy fleet. Drawing on original documents and the personal letters of one doomed Hellcat commander, Sasgen crafts a classic naval tale of the heroic submariners and one of World War II's most ambitious and dangerous underwater raids. …More

Killer Stuff and Tons of Money: Seeking History and Hidden Gems in Flea-Market America By Stanton, Maureen 2011-06 - Penguin Press 9781594202933 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title "Killer Stuff and Tons of Money" is the story of one dealer's journey from the populist mayhem of flea markets to the rarefied realm of auctions, and reveals the rich, often outrageous subculture of antiques and collectibles. …More

The Longevity Prescription: The 8 Proven Keys to a Long, Healthy Life By Butler, Robert N. 2011-07 - Avery Publishing Group 9781583334300 Check Our Catalog Butler, the internationally revered, Pulitzer Prize-winning father of geriatric medicine, offers a revitalizing plan for living a longer and better life. "The Longevity Prescription" outlines eight essential facets of longevity. …More

Divine Magic: The Seven Sacred Secrets of Manifestation [With CD] By Virtue, Doreen 2006-07 - Hay House 9781401910334 Check Our Catalog You have natural magical abilities that can elevate your life to a whole new level, as well as heal and help your loved ones and clients. The original teacher of this Divine magic was an Egyptian sage named Hermes Trismegistus. His teachings, called "Hermetics," were only taught verbally or in very cryptic writings. In 1908, three Hermetic students wrote these teachings in a book called "The Kybalion. "Yet, this book was still difficult to understand because of its archaic and confusing language. Now in "Divine Magic, " Doreen Virtue presents a clearly edited version of "The Kybalion, " written in understandable and modern language. She gives comments and practical suggestions based upon her own success in using Hermetic teachings for healing and manifestation. With" Divine Magic," you can master your moods, release negativity, manifest new levels of abundance, and attract wonderful opportunities in all areas of your life. *Includes a meditative CD …More

Steve Jobs By Isaacson, Walter 2011-10 - Simon & Schuster 9781451648539 Check Our Catalog From bestselling author Walter Isaacson comes the landmark biography of Apple co-founder Steve Jobs. In "Steve Jobs: A Biography," Isaacson provides an extraordinary account of Jobs' professional and personal life. Drawn from three years of exclusive and unprecedented interviews Isaacson has conducted with Jobs as well as extensive interviews with Jobs' family members, key colleagues from Apple and its competitors, "Steve Jobs" is the definitive portrait of the greatest innovator of his generation. …More

The Wilder Life: My Adventures in the Lost World of Little House on the Prairie By McClure, Wendy 2011-04 - Riverhead Books 9781594487804 Check Our Catalog BookPage Notable Title For anyone who has ever wanted to step into the world of a favorite book, here is a pioneer pilgrimage, a tribute to Laura Ingalls Wilder, and a hilarious account of butter-churning obsession. …More

Before I Go to Sleep By Watson, S. J. 2011-06 - Harper 9780062060556 Check Our Catalog In this gripping psychological thriller in the vein of "Shutter Island" and the film "Memento," an amnesiac attempts to reconstruct her past by keeping a journal and discovers the dangerous inconsistencies in the stories of her husband and her secret doctor. HPL patron:  Keeps you on the edge of the couch...a thriller with unexpected twists. …More

Sarah's Key By De Rosnay, Tatiana 2011-10 - St. Martin's Press 9781250004215 Check Our Catalog With more than two million copies sold, de Rosnay's debut novel has found its way into the hearts and minds of readers everywhere. Now with this beautifully designed hardcover edition complete with red ribbon, linen stock jacket with cloth binding, gold foil, and embossing, the gift of powerful storytelling can be shared at the holidays. 384 pp. 200,000 print. …More

How to Raise Your Adult Children: Because Big Kids Have Even Bigger Problems By Parent, Gail Author Ende, Susan 2010-08 - Hudson Street Press 9781594630699 Check Our Catalog Parents of grown children have bigger problems than when their kids were little. Combining the wit of Emmy Award-winning writer Parent and the insight of psychotherapist Ende, this book answers questions most parents never imagined they would have to ask. …More