Books We Loved in 2016: Part 2

We read so many great books in 2016 that we couldn't be confined to just one post. Here's the second installment of our staff's favorite books that they read in the last year. Enjoy!

• The Whisper by Pamela Zagarenski
  "This is one of the most visually stunning picture books I've ever read, plus the story is a great take on the power of imagination."
• Awkward by Svetlana Chmakova
  "This graphic novel for middle-graders has all the feels! It's about having the courage to be yourself with all the awkwardness of being a tween."
• Girls Like Us by Gail Giles
  "Beautiful book about friendship... It was so good I cried."

Elisabeth S, Reference Librarian/Social Media Coordinator

•  A Court of Mist and Fury by Sarah J. Maas
• Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo
• Marked in Flesh by Anne Bishop

Megan S, Collection Management Librarian

• Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill
• Every Heart a Doorway by Seanan McGuire
• All the Single Ladies by Rebecca Traister
• A Tyranny of Petticoats edited by Jessica Spotswood

Ally W, Library Consultant

• The Thirteenth Tale by Diane Setterfield
• The House We Grew Up In by Lisa Jewell  

Gloria J, Machine Lending Librarian

• Behold the Dreamers by Imbolo Mbue
  "A story about two families during the housing bubble of 2008: one is an immigrant family from Africa trying to make a life in America and the other is a wealthy family barely hanging on due to all the secrets they keep from one another. A moving story of friendship, loss, and the great American dream... does it exist? Is it achievable anymore?"
• Enchanted Islands by Allison Amend
  "Loosely based on the true story of Frances and Ainslie Conway and their time as military spies on the Galapagos Islands. However, much of the story is from Frances's point of view, telling how she came to be a spy and exploring her great lifelong friendship with Rosalie. While this is historical fiction, it immerses the reader so deeply into Frances's life that more research on the real Frances Conway will be of great interest. I fell in love with this book and all of its characters."
• State of Wonder by Ann Patchett
  "The tale of a pharmacy researcher who is sent by her boss/lover to the deepest, darkest corner of the Amazon to investigate the death of her colleague Anders Eckman. Eckman had been dispatched to check on the progress of the incommunicado Dr. Annick Swenson, a rogue scientist developing a fertility drug. This plot-driven title is well written and one that stayed on my mind long after I turned the last page."
• The One-in-a-Million Boy by Monica Wood
  "The story of 104 year old Ona and an 11 year old boy... the boy, a Boy Scout, has been helping Ona around her house on Saturdays. Along the way, Ona shares her life story and secrets as the boy does odd jobs for her. To say more would ruin the book, but I will say that this book has Boy Scouts (as previously mentioned), a road trip, a Christian band, and fun facts from the Guinness Book of World Records (real facts!) Don't let this book fly under your 'to be read' radar."

Shellie Z, Talking Book Services Director

• Brooklyn by Colm Tóibín
• The Mapmaker's Children by Sarah McCoy
• In a Dark, Dark Wood by Ruth Ware 

Mary Rodgers B, Readers Advisor

Let us know the best books that you read in 2016 in the comments below and look for more book recommendations soon. Until then, happy reading!

Books We Loved in 2016: Part 1

We're a reading bunch of folks. It's not just because we work in a library, or because we work closely with other librarians, or even because we recommend a lot of books to others. Believe it or not, not all librarians like to spend time reading! MLC just happens to employ a lot of people who truly love to read. That said, we've read a lot of books during 2016 and wanted to share our favorites with you. Without further ado, here they are:

• Uprooted by Naomi Novik
• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi
• Miss Jane by Brad Watson

Ally M, Information Services Director

•  The Alienist by Caleb Carr
  "Because I enjoyed the Cinemax show The Knick I was advised to read this book. It was a great suggestion for someone who loves period based thrillers. I also read recently that it is being made into a TV series. Yippee!!!"

Lacy E, Senior Library Consultant

• Princess Princess Ever After by Katie O'Neill
  "This is an absolutely adorable middle-grade story about two princesses going on an adventure and trying to find their happily ever after. It's SO CUTE, with beautiful artwork, and so sweet that it'll give you cavities."
• Jonathan Strange and Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
  "Don't let the size of the book scare you! Clarke has a wonderfullu unique writing style, is absolutely amazing at worldbuilding, and crafts complex characters with wonderful relationships."

Katie G, Collection Management

• Sweet Little Lies by Jill Shalvis
• Fire Bound by Christine Feehan
• Nobody But You by Jill Shalvis

Lorietha M, Library Development Administrative Assistant

• Your Baby's First Word Will Be DADA by Jimmy Fallon and Miguel Ordóñez
• The Residence by Kate Andersen Brower

Kelly K, Reference Librarian

So many of our staff participated and wanted to share their favorite books from 2016 that we had too many for just one post. Tomorrow we'll bring you part 2 of our favorite staff books. Until then, happy reading!

MLC Staff Reads: YA

Here are three great young adult books to add to your to-read list. Already read them? Let us know what you thought in the comments.

Saint Anything
Sarah Dessen
four stars

Sydney finds new friends and new love even while life in her dysfunctional family becomes to much to bear. Great character building and lovely reflections on responsibility, forgiveness, and belonging.









Conviction
Kelly Loy Gilbert
four stars

Braden is the only witness to a policeman's death when his father is accused of the murder. Gilbert deftly explores issues of abuse, faith, and growing up, all centered around Braden's biggest passion: baseball.

How it Went Down
Kekla Magoon
four stars

How It Went Down, a 2015 Coretta Scott King Honor Book, begins with sixteen-year-old Tariq Johnson's murder. He was shot to death by a white man named Jack Franklin while walking home from the store. This heart-wrenching story is told with multiple POVs by those in Tariq's community. It is a touching, truthful, and thought-provoking novel by Kekla Magoon and it changed the way we look at the world.









Don't forget to follow us on Goodreads. Join us next week for our latest favorite picture books. Until then, happy reading!

MLC Staff Reads: November 20, 2015

Lemony Snicket wrote in Horseradish that you should, "Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them." Here are a few that you'll find a delight to tuck into your carry-all.

Last Stop on Market Street

written by Matt de la Peña

illustrated by Christian Robinson

picture book

five stars

Last Stop on Market Street is an inspirational and heartwarming picture book about an ordinary Sunday for CJ and his grandma. As they go about their normal routine--church, walk, bus stop, bus ride, walk, soup kitchen--they encounter other people who have more (and less) than they do. Each time CJ asks his grandma why the two of them don't have a convenience that other people do, she gives him an upbeat answer explaining how rich they already are. The bright illustrations perfectly complement the beautiful story.

 Career of Evil

written by Robert Galbraith

(pseudonym of J.K. Rowling)

fiction: mystery

four stars

The third installment in J.K. Rowling’s Cormoran Strike series, Career of Evil is a fast-paced mystery with the added bonus of great character development (and Blue Öyster Cult lyrics, which precede each chapter!). There’s also a perfectly ambiguous cliffhanger ending that will guarantee we’ll be on the edge of our seats until the next book comes out.

 Dispatches from Pluto:

Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta

written by Richard Grant

nonfiction: Mississippi
four stars

To natives of the state, Mississippi is simply our home. We tend to forget that it is a place of contradictions; Mississippi has given birth to a population who manifests and embraces those seeming differences. Richard Grant has a keen ear for a good story and the Mississippi Delta has stories in spades. While no single book can tell the whole story of any place (especially a place like Mississippi!), Grant's tales of his meetings with wildlife and with humans and of his travels and adventures around the Delta are humorous, insightful, and well-written.

X: A Novel

written by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon

young adult
four stars

X by Ilyasha Shabazz, Malcolm X's daughter, and Kekla Magoon follows the life of a young Malcolm X before he became a great human rights activist. Even though this is a work of fiction, X is based on the real life of Malcolm X and his actions from boyhood until his arrest for theft at the age of 20. This is a great novel that will challenge teen readers while teaching them more about the human rights movement and the work of Malcolm X.

We have these books lined up to read next week:

 

• Nino Wrestles the World
  written and illustrated by Yuyi Morales 
• Stella by Starlight
  written by Sharon Draper
• Hold Tight, Don't Let Go
  written by Laura Rose Wagner
• Inside the O'Briens
  written by Lisa Genova
  
  
  Until next time, happy reading!

MLC Reads: November 6, 2015

We do so love to read! We just love to curl up in a nice spot, pull out a good book, and lose ourselves in the printed word. We've spent the last week reading these wonderful books:

 Freedom Summer

written by Deborah Wiles

illustrated by Jerome Lagarrigue

picture book

five stars

Freedom Summer is picture book perfection. Jerome Lagarrigue won the John Steptoe Award for New Talent for his illustrations and we can see why. The gorgeous impressionism-inspired pictures pulled us even deeper into this story of the South during the summer of 1964. Deborah Wiles's tale of young Joe and John Henry's friendship is incredibly sweet. Joe, who is white, is noticing the ugly side of the segregated world in which he grew up for the first time. He wants his friend John Henry to be able to experience all the same fun things he does in their small town. The ways in which the two small boys act and react to their town's fight against integration is both heartbreaking and inspiring. This is a must read for pre-schoolers and up.

The Truth About Alice

written by Jennifer Mathieu

YA fiction

five stars

If you've ever attended school with a bunch typical teenagers- hellooo, high school- this book will be a trip down memory lane. If you're still in high school, you may recognize yourself or your friends on these pages. The stories and accusations flying around Alice are shocking, but the untold stories hiding in this high school are equally fascinating. Told from multiple points of view, this short novel is a reflection on stereotypes that will keep you on the edge of your seat to the very end.

Uprooted

written by Naomi Novik

YA fantasy

four stars

Uprooted by Naomi Novik follows the story of young Agnieszka. Every ten years the Dragon, a powerful wizard who defends her village from the corrupting influences of the Wood, comes to Agnieszka’s village and chooses a young woman to take with him. The Dragon inexplicably chooses Agnieszka over her best friend Kasia, who possesses all the charm, beauty and poise Agnieszka does not. Thus begins a story of adventure, loss, friendship, and love. Uprooted is lighthearted and humorous at times but there is also a sense of tragedy and loss that underscores it. While there is a romantic undercurrent to the story, the real relationship at the heart of this book is the honest and moving friendship between Agnieszka and her best friend Kasia.

Meanwhile There Are Letters: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and Ross Macdonald

edited by Suzanne Marrs and Tom Nolan

nonfiction: letters

three stars

Lovely letters by two master story tellers... From time to time it plodded a bit, but the commentary by Suzanne Mars and Tom Nolan made this a fairly fascinating peek into the lives of Eudora Welty and Kenneth Millar. If you haven't already, be sure to pick up What There Is to Say We Have Said: The Correspondence of Eudora Welty and William Maxwell. (Ms. Eudora knew how to write a right fine letter!)

Next week, we have these books on our plate:

• Mister B. Gone
  written by Clive Barker
• Lois Lane: Fallout
  written by Gwenda Bond
• This Is Not My Hat
  written by Jon Klassen
• Mississippi Moonshine Politics: How Bootleggers & the Law Kept a Dry State Soaked
  written by Janice Branch Tracy
  
  Until then, happy reading!

MLC Reads: October 16, 2015

As Lemony Snicket said in Horseradish, “Never trust anyone who has not brought a book with them.” These are the books we carried around with us last week.

Richard Wright and the Library Card

written by William Miller

illustrated by Gregory Christie

picture book
four stars

The words he had read echoed in his ears, colored everything he saw. He wondered if he would act differently, if others would see how the books had changed him.

The meat of this picture book is pulled from an incident in Richard Wright's autobiography, Black Boy. We reread this book for the anniversary of Richard Wright's birth last month (September 4, 1908) and again marveled at the lovely adaptation. Denied books by the Memphis library's segregation policies, Wright borrows a library card from a white coworker and uses it to check out stacks of books. Solid introduction to one of Mississippi's most famous and enduring authors.

 Honor Girl

written and illustrated by Maggie Thrash

graphic memoir

four stars

This coming-of-age graphic memoir swept us back to our own experiences at summer camp: learning new skills, meeting new people, dealing with the "popular" kids, finding yourself, first crush, first love, first broken heart... Read this for a bittersweet blast of nostalgia.

 In a Dark Dark Wood

written by Ruth Ware

fiction: mystery/thriller

five stars

This is the kind of book that will either drive you crazy or lead you to love it and not be able to put it down until you've reached the climatic end. The story flips back and forth between the present and the past. A woman, Nora, wakes up in the hospital. She is all bruised and a police officer is guarding her hospital room door. She has no idea why she is there, but she starts to recall the "hen party" she had attended days before. The mystery of what happened at this two day event is quickly unraveled. Ware has the ability to create a very eerie setting and to keep the reader guessing until the very last chapter. We thoroughly enjoyed this one; it had us reading until late into the night.

 Marketing with Social Media

edited by Beth C. Thomsett-Scott

nonfiction: marketing in libraries

four stars

This is the perfect introductory book for libraries that are just beginning to use social media. It covers many of the basic networking sites, including Facebook, Twitter, Google +, Blogs, Pinterest, YouTube, etc... Each chapter contains one topic area and explains how to get started and how to maintain the site, as well as including case studies, statistics, and a reference section. Highly usable, the only downside to this book is that the fast-changing technologies it profiles change so rapidly that this book will soon be obsolete.

We've got these books lined up for next week. We can't wait to read them and tell you all about them!

• Modern Romance
  written by Aziz Ansari
  nonfiction: sociology, romance, and humor
• Black Hole
  written and illustrated by Charles Burns
  graphic novel
• In the Woods
  written by Tana French
  fiction: mystery, thriller
• She is not Invisible
  written by Marcus Sedgwick
  young adult

Until next week, happy reading!

Staff Reads: October 9, 2015

Every Friday, the staff of the Mississippi Library Commission share a few of the best books and graphic novels we've read in the past week.

Fear Agent, Volume One: Re-Ignition

written by Rick Remender

illustrated by Tony Moore

four stars

This fun and adventurous graphic novel follows Heath Huston, the last Fear Agent, as he discovers an alien's plot to wipe out the human species. Heath must now use his skills as an alien exterminator to save the day. This was a great graphic novel with a retro feel. We recommend Fear Agent to those who enjoy pulp science fiction.

The Man Who Walked Between the Towers

written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein

four stars

Philippe Petit is not afraid of heights at all. His 1974 tightrope walk between the World Trade Center's twin towers is captured here in all its marvelous glory. Gorgeous illustrations and illuminating prose by Mordicai Gerstein will have your kids dreaming about the trapeze.

We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves

written by Karen Joy Fowler

five stars

First off, don't read anything about this book except the following review: it's good. That's all you need to know. Finding out what the big reveal is will only diminish your reading experience. Trust us when we say this book explores family relationships in an interesting way--one you won't forget.

The World's Largest Man

written by Harrison Scott Key

five stars

Fathers. Families. Funny. Feels. Harrison Scott Key's book about his father is a beautiful, soul-searching, hilarious memoir that you need to read. 

We've got these books on our radar this week:

• Richard Wright and the Library Card
  written by William Miller
  illustrated by Gregory Christie
• Marketing with Social Media
  edited by Beth C. Thomsett-Scott
• Honor Girl
  written and illustrated by Maggie Thrash
• In a Dark, Dark Wood
  written by Ruth Ware

Until next week, happy reading!

Staff Reads: October 2, 2015

Each week, the staff of the Mississippi Library Commission share some of the books we have been reading.

Mean Streak

written by Sandra Brown

five stars

Mean Streak has everything a good thriller needs: drama, suspense, intrigue, and sex. It kept us on the edge of our seats with its twists and turns. We never even saw the end coming. Our prediction was completely different from what ended up happening--what a surprise! Now we can't wait to read Sandra Brown's latest novel, Friction.

 Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars

written by Jeff Lemire

illustrated by Dustin Nguyen

five stars

Descender's first volume depicts a futuristic universe that is being attacked by giant space robots. A young companion android, Tim-21, wakes up years later to find out that he may hold the answer to putting a stop to the evil robots. This is a great new series by Lemire and Nguyen, who combine storytelling with beautiful artwork. If you're a fan of Copperhead by Jay Faerber or Saga by Brian K. Vaughan, you'll definitely want to check out Descender.

 Humans of New York

written and photographed by Brandon Stanton

five stars

If you love the Humans of New York Tumblr blog, you will love this book! Like the blog, the book completely captures the spirit of New York City. For a former resident (and current staff member!) reading the book, memories all the things she loved about living there came flooding back. If you are not familiar with the blog, you should still check out the book. The subject matter is diverse and thought-provoking.

Yard War
written by Taylor Kitchings
five stars

When nothing ever changes and everybody seems okay, you don't ask a lot of questions. But I'm starting to think the grownups don't have everything figured out.

Yard War is a middle-grade novel about two boys with different skin colors, one white and one black, who become friends in Jackson, Mississippi, just after Freedom Summer. They unite over football, and their friendship blossoms, but segregation still holds sway over their town. This little book, with Taylor Kitchings's excellent ear for the rhythmic way Mississippians speak and his wonderful prose, is a solid introduction to the time period. Highly recommended.

We've got our sights set on these wonderful books for next week:

 

• We Are All Completely Beside Ourselves
  written by Karen Joy Fowler
• The Man Who Walked Between the Towers
  written and illustrated by Mordicai Gerstein
• The World's Largest Man
  written by Harrison Scott Key
• Fear Agent, Volume 1: Re-Ignition
  written by Rick Remender
  illustrated by Tony Moore

Until next week, happy reading!

Staff Reads: September 25, 2015

Another week, another glorious pile of books to read! First, though, are our book reviews from this past week:

 The Bird's Nest

written by Shirley Jackson  

four stars

This book tells the story of a girl in the middle of dealing with a multiple personality disorder, now better known as dissociative identity disorder. The dialogue and conflict between her personalities is at times both frightening and comical. Shirley Jackson is so good at this kind of dark humor.

The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Grocery Cookbook

written by Alexe Van Beuren and Dixie Grimes

four stars

Don't you just love a cookbook that's more than a cookbook? Most cookbooks just impart recipes, and recipes only, leaving them as bland as a tomato sandwich without any mayonnaise. This cookbook, though, evokes the heart of small-town America, with the stories, advice, pure heart, and recipes of Water Valley, Mississippi's B.T.C Old-Fashioned Grocery. We recommend the baked grits casserole and the chocolate buttermilk cake--yum--but really, you should just try them all!

 The Adventures of Beekle: The Unimaginary Friend

written and illustrated by Dan Santat

five stars

We're giving 2015 Caldecott winner Beekle five shiny, golden stars, and we'd give even more if we could. Santat's illustrations are sweet and charming; they harmonize perfectly with Beekle's story. And the story! Such simple, strong messages about friendship and imagination and perseverance--lovely from beginning to end. We guarantee that this one will end up in your bedtime reading pile night after night after night after night...

The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl

written by Ryan North

illustrated by Erica Henderson

five stars

Oh Em Gee! Doreen Green--don't you love that name?--is a college girl with super powers. She's super strong. She's got a tail. She's saving the world. Plus, there are oodles and oodles of snarky footnotes. Amazingly fun!

Staff will be reviewing these books next week:

• Mean Streak
  written by Sandra Brown
• Yard War
  written by Taylor Kitchings
• Descender, Volume 1: Tin Stars
  written by Jeff Lemire
  illustrated by Dustin Nguyen
• Humans of New York
  written and illustrated by Brandon Stanton

Until next week, happy reading!

Staff Reads: September 18, 2015

Never fear! Your book reviews are here... and just in time for Friday Reads, too.

The Lone Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven

written by Sherman Alexie

five stars

Sherman Alexie, we want you to write more books. Want? Need. The stories in this book deftly bring to light America's marginalized native people. We see their love, their humor, and their pain, and it's simply beautiful. A re-read of The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian is definitely in order, but TLRATFIH is one to savor and return to again as well.

The Adventures of Superhero Girl

written and illustrated by Faith Erin Hicks

four stars

Faith Erin Hicks is simply amazing. Her heroine, Superhero Girl, is in her early twenties, has a roommate and a cat, and faces mundane, everyday sorts of problems like doing laundry and dealing with boys. But wait! She can leap buildings in a single bound, too. And heave things into space. And other superhero-esque things. She does all this, plus confronts superhero problems, all while wearing her cape and mask with the nonchalance only a superhero in her twenties could pull off. Witty and sarcastic, this was a hilarious read.

The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up:
The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

written by Marie Kondo

translated by Cathy Hirano

three stars

This book has been incredibly popular at our library, so we decided to give it a read, too. Kondo recommends getting rid of everything in your house that doesn't fill you with joy. The anthropomorphizing of objects took a little getting used to--talk to your shoes, people!--but hey, if the house is at one with itself, you can be, too.

Dash

written by Kirby Larson

four stars

This Magnolia Award nominee is based on a true story. Mitsi and her family are swept up in the anti-Japanese sentiment of World War II and are forced to move to an internment camp. Mitsi has to leave her beloved dog Dash with a neighbor because animals aren't allowed. Her worry about her dog added to the unbearable conditions at the camp-- filth, drudgery, and inhumanity--make this story an excellent introduction to American history and race relations for middle schoolers.

The Healing

written by Jonathan Odell

four stars

The Healing is a fascinating book about African-Americans before the Civil War and during the 1930s. The characters Granada and Polly will stay with us for quite some time, as well as Odell's take on midwifery, Mississippi, and life.

Staff picks this week include these books:

• The Bird's Nest
  written by Shirley Jackson
• The Unbeatable Squirrel Girl
  written by Ryan North
  illustrated by Erica Henderson
• The Adventures of Beekle
  written and illustrated by Dan Santat
• The B.T.C. Old-Fashioned Cookbook
  written by Alexe van Beuren

Until next week, happy reading!