The Absolute Best Books MLC Staff Read in 2018

The staff of the Mississippi Library Commission has read their fair share of books the past year. We like picture books and comics, fiction, and nonfiction, and old and new. These were our favorites.

Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut
Derrick Barnes and Gordon C. James, 2017
Recommended by Andrea' R.

The Crayon Box that Talked
Shane Derolf and Michael Letzig, 1997
Recommended by Lawrence S.

Green Eggs and Ham
Dr. Seuss, 1960
Recommended by Sandra T.

"My grandbabies love it when I read this to them."

Harriet Gets Carried Away
Jessie Sima, 2018
Recommended by Elisabeth S.

"This is hands down the cutest, sweetest, most adorable picture book I read this year."

A Day in the Life of Marlon Bundo
Jill Twiss and E.G. Keller, 2018
Recommended by Amanda R.

Sneezy the Snowman
Maureen Wright and Stephen Gilpin, 2010
Recommended by Bonita S.

A Sky Full of Stars
Linda Williams Jackson, 2018
Recommended by Elisabeth S.

"Life in rural Mississippi during the 1950s is explored through the eyes of a spunky and loving African-American girl named Rose."

The Time quintet
A Wrinkle in Time, A Wind in the Door, A Swiftly Tilting Planet, Many Waters
Madeleine L'Engle, 1962-1986
Recommended by Margaret S.

The Witch Boy
Molly Ostertag, 2017
Recommended by Elisabeth S.

"This is all about witches, shapeshifters, and who ought to be able to be which; I loved it so much!"

The Harry Potter series
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows
J.K. Rowling, 1997-2007
Recommended by Mary Rodgers B.

Wizard for Hire
Obert Skye, 2018
Recommended by Amanda R.

The Good Demon
Jimmy Cajoleas, 2018
Recommended by Louisa W.

The All the Boys series
To All the Boys I've Loved Before, P.S. I Still Love You, and Always and Forever, Lara Jean
Jenny Han, 2014-2017
Recommended by Mary Rodgers B.

Beneath the Sugar Sky
Seanan McGuire, 2018
Recommended by Elisabeth S.

"What happens when your mother is murdered years before you're supposed to be born? I think this is my favorite so far in the macabre Wayward Children series."

Dumplin'
Julie Murphy, 2015
Recommended by Mary Rodgers B.

An Enchantment of Ravens
Margaret Rogerson, 2017
Recommended by Katie G.

The Princess and the Dressmaker
Jen Wang, 2018
Recommended by Katie G.

Damsel
Elana K. Arnold, 2018
Recommended by Amanda R.

The Immortalists
Chloe Benjamin, 2018
Recommended by Shellie Z.

Brief Cases: More Stories from the Dresden Files
Jim Butcher, 2018
Recommended by Margaret S.

The President is Missing
Bill Clinton, James Patterson, and David Ellis, 2018
Recommended by Hulen B. and Margaret S.

All the Light We Cannot See
Anthony Doerr, 2014
Recommended by Natalie D.

Bingo Love
Dee Franklin and Jenn St. Onge, 2017
Recommended by Annie W. and Louisa W.

Cold Mountain
Charles Frazier, 1997
Recommended by Tracy C.

"There is not one word that is not perfect… and I am not exaggerating."

I Hear the Sunspot
Yuki Fumino, 2017 (translation edition)
Recommended by Amanda R.

The Reckoning
John Grisham, 2018
Recommended by Hulen B.

"Told in three parts, this Grisham novel is the story of a man and his wife who are united in death. It is a unity of permanence that they did not achieve in life. Side stories include the children of the coupe and how they lose ownership of their parents' estate and the tale of a local preacher who got in the way of the couple's relationship."

The Nightingale
Kristin Hannah, 2015
Recommended by Susan L.

How to Find Love in a Bookshop
Veronica Henry, 2017
Recommended by Mary Rodgers B.

The Boats of the Glen Carrig
William Hope Hodgson, 1907
Recommended by Daniel W.

The Drawing of Three
Stephen King, 1987
Recommended by Josh S.

Gone with the Wind
Margaret Mitchell, 1936
Recommended by Will B.

The Binti trilogy
Binti, Home, and The Night Masquerade
Nnedi Okorafor, 2015-2018
Recommended by Elisabeth S.

 "Utterly beautiful. Science fiction at its finest."

The English Patient
Michael Ondaatje, 1992
Recommended by Tracy C.

The Lonely Hearts Hotel
Heather O'Neill, 2017
Recommended by Shellie Z.

Rise and Shine, Benedict Stone
Phaedra Patrick, 2017
Recommended by Louisa W.

Kiss the Girls
James Patterson, 1995
Recommended by Lacy E.

"Kiss the Girls was one of my favorite reads of 2018. It is the second book in the James Patterson Alex Cross series and was originally published in 1995. Those who are fans of murder and serial killer podcasts should re-visit this easily devoured novel. I read it over the span of a conference weekend with two long layovers. It’s the best $.25 I spent at a library book sale. Make sure you check out the 1997 film starring Morgan Freeman!"

Witchmark
C.L. Polk, 2018
Recommended by Amanda R.

The Bedlam Stacks
Natasha Pulley, 2017
Recommended by Ally M. 

The Alice Network
Kate Quinn, 2017
Recommended by Shellie Z.

A History of God: The 4,000 Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam
Karen Armstrong, 1975
Recommended by Derrion A.

The Bible
King James version
Recommended by Sandra T.

"I read this over and over. It's my favorite thing to read."

Stay the Course: The Story of Vanguard and the Index Revolution
Jack Bogle, 2018
Recommended by Hulen B.

"The author, who was one of the original creators of the concept of index funds, discusses the pracitcality of such funds (ETF style or financial house created) in today's economy, along with notation as to probable 2019 predictors. The author suggests that these insights are important, as index funds hold such a large percentage of the US stock/equity market."

Origin Story: A Big History of Everything
David Christian, 2018
Recommended by Derrion A.

Guns, Germs, and Steel
Jared Diamond, 1997
Recommended by Derrion A.

Grit
Angela Duckworth, 2016
Recommended by Hulen B.

"Written by a psychologist who believes that the "grit" of a person is a better predictor of an individual's success than one's IQ or one's talent. (Grit, in this writing, is expressed as an individual's passion combined with perseverance.)"

This Republic of Suffering: Death and the American Civil War
Drew Gilpin Faust, 2008
Recommended by Derrion A.

My Girls: A Lifetime with Carrie and Debbie
Todd Fisher, 2018
Recommended by Will B.

The Prophet
Kahlil Gibran, 1923
Recommended by Andrea' R.

Negro Thought in America, 1880-1915: Racial Ideologies in the Age of Booker T. Washington
August Meier, 1963
Recommended by Derrion A.

The One Device: The Secret History of the iPhone
Brian Merchant, 2017
Recommended by Margaret S.

Becoming
Michelle Obama, 2018
Recommended by Margaret S.

Dear Fahrenheit 451
Annie Spence, 2017
Recommended by Mary Rodgers B.

Rowdy: The Roddy Piper Story
Ariel Teal Toombs, Colt Baird Toombs, and Craig Pyette, 2016
Recommended by Will B.

Educated
Tara Westover, 2018
Recommended by Natalie D. and Andrea' R.

The Desegregation of Public Libraries in the Jim Crow South
Wayne A. Wiegand and Shirley A. Wiegand, 2018
Recommended by Tracy C.

"Completely enlightening, especially in the fact that what we consider a core tenet of the modern public library, the library as community, was created by black librarians/libraries because there WAS no place for the black community to gather."

So? Which were your favorites?

Staff Reads: Picture Book Bios

I've been reading a lot of children's books lately. Middle grade and YA books can be a lot of fun, but picture books might just be my favorites. The illustrations pull me in and the simple stories keep me coming back for more. I'm especially fond of picture book biographies. I've always been a bit of a history nerd and I learn great little tidbits about people I've never heard of (or don't know enough about.)

Poet: The Remarkable Story of George Moses Horton was written and illustrated by Don Tate. (He illustrated another of my recent favorites, a wonderful picture book biography about Mississippian John Roy Lynch.) Poet follows the true story of the first African-American to be published in the South. Horton taught himself to read as a child; as an adult, he began writing beautiful, heartbreaking poems that spoke against the institution of slavery. He was in his 80s when he finally became a free man because of the Civil War. It's a powerful tale and the illustrations are just as powerful. It won the 2016 Ezra Jack Keats author award. Grades 2-5.

One civil rights activist that I truly admire is Mississippi native Fannie Lou Hamer. I was very pleased to see her story told in Voice of Freedom: Fannie Lou Hamer. The author, Carole Boston Weatherford, is actually slated to be at this summer's Mississippi Book Festival. The illustrator, Ekua Holmes, created amazing mixed-media collages which perfectly capture the rhythm and themes of Weatherford's poetic tribute to Hamer. I was particularly taken by this quote:

I was so hungry to learn. My mother drilled this into me. When you read, she said, you know--and you can help yourself and others."

The book was named a 2016 Caldecott Honor Book. Grades 6 and up.

Emmanuel's Dream: The True Story of Emmanuel Ofosu Yeboah was particularly satisfying. I'd never heard the story of this Ghanaian who, though born with a deformed foot, mastered bicycling at a young age and went on to bike across his country. He raised awareness for those with disabilities in Ghana and is invested in furthering the education of the children of his country, abled and disabled.

He knew her last words had been a gift. He would honor them by showing everyone that being disabled does not mean unable.

The text by Laurie Ann Thompson paints evocative pictures of Ghana, while the illustrations by Sean Qualls are exceptional. The book won the 2016 Schneider Family Book Award for children. Kindergarten-2nd grade.

The children's book market has exploded since I was a child. The plethora of picture books available now is a little daunting. Sometimes I feel like I'll never be able to read all the great new books out there, but I'll certainly give it my best shot. Until next time, 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 Staff Reads: November 13, 2015

In A Game of Thrones, Tyrion says, "My mind is my weapon. My brother has his sword, King Robert has his warhammer, and I have my mind... And a mind needs books as a sword needs a whetstone, if it is to keep its edge." Keep your mind sharp this week with these fun and fascinating books:

This Is Not My Hat

written and illustrated
by Jon Klassen

picture book

three stars

This is a cute little story about how crime doesn't pay. It really, truly doesn't pay. Kids will enjoy the minimalist illustrations and the wild "gotcha!" ending. If you haven't already, introduce your kids to I Want My Hat Back, too.

 Fallout: Lois Lane #1

written by Gwenda Bond

young adult

three stars

Superheroes have been very big for the last several years, which made reading this YA book featuring a high school age Lois Lane so much fun. There's a mind-melded hive presence at Lois's new school and she's determined to find out what's behind it and rescue the kids it's effecting. Lois juggles this mystery with a job at the Daily Planet's new teen paper, her protective general dad and the rest of her loving family, and her online friendship with SmallvilleGuy. A little slow in some points, this was all in all an enjoyable read.

 Mississippi Moonshine Politics:

How Bootleggers & the Law Kept a Dry State Soaked

written by Janice Branch Tracy

nonfiction: politics, prohibition

four stars

Mississippi has always had an awkward love-hate relationship with alcohol and Mississippi Moonshine Politics brought this into sharp focus for us. The book introduces bootleggers and politicians from the Delta to the Gulf Coast, all within the framework of the history of prohibition in Mississippi. (By the way, our new favorite Mississippi politician name is Representative Noah "Soggy" Sweat, replacing longtime favorite Representative Greek Rice.) Tracy intersperses her history lesson with some fascinating stories about our native state that were a revelation to read. If you'd like to try a fictional account of bootleggers in Mississippi when you're done with Mississippi Moonshine Politics, try Tom Franklin and Beth Ann Fennelly's The Tilted World.

Mister B. Gone

written by Clive Barker

fiction: horror

four stars

Mister B. Gone by Clive Barker starts off with a warning: "Burn this book. Go on. Quickly, while there’s still time! Burn it. Don’t look at another word. Did you hear me? Not. One. More. Word." However, you should keep reading because this book is all you would expect from a Barker book. There is humor, horror, and everything in between. It kind of reminds us of an adult version of The Monster at the End of this Book by Jon Stone. We recommend this book to all Clive Barker, Stephen King, and Neil Gaiman fans.

Join us next week when we review these books Mississippi Library Commission staff are reading.

• Last Stop on Market Street
  written by Matt de la Pena
  illustrated by Christian Robinson
  picture book
• Career of Evil
  written by Robert Galbraith
  fiction: mystery
• Dispatches from Pluto: Lost and Found in the Mississippi Delta
  written by Richard Grant
  nonfiction: Mississippi
• X: A Novel
  written by Ilyasah Shabazz and Kekla Magoon
  young adult

Until next time, 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!