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The Sandman book cover
The Sandman book cover

The Sandman

Neil Gaiman

COMIC Sandman
Fiction, Graphic Novels

An attempt to summon and imprison Death, instead results in the capture of her brother, Morpheus, the Sandman, who after making his escape must regain the tools of his powers. Follow the King of Dreams, brother of the Endless, as he travels through a myriad of landscapes to meet with the gods, demons, and others who inhabit both Earth and the other realms.

I read Volume 1 after watching the Netflix series, it seems like the video series is fairly straightforward adaptation as far as the story structure goes. It was interesting to see where the art overlaps and diverges in the comic series. -Jason

Anxious people : a novel book cover
Anxious people : a novel book cover

Anxious people : a novel

Fredrik Backman

FICTION Backman Fredrik
Fiction

Taken hostage by a failed bank robber while attending an open house, eight anxiety-prone strangers--including a redemption-seeking bank director, two couples who would fix their marriages, and a plucky octogenarian--discover their unexpected common traits.

Never having read any of Backman's other books besides A Man Called Ove, I wasn't really sure what to expect with this one. As someone who enjoys looking through other people's windows at night on a dog walk (not in a creepy way, but rather just to watch from afar how their silhouettes eat dinner and mill around,) I like to speculate what their lives are like, so I was really drawn to this story. Backman meanders at times but creates strong, life-like characters with flaws and strengths we might find resonate in all of us. it is brutally honest at times and funny in other parts. I really enjoyed this read and it was a good reminder to always offer grace as we never know what life challenges other people have been through or are currently facing. -Victoria

Kuma-Kuma Chan's home book cover
Kuma-Kuma Chan's home book cover

Kuma-Kuma Chan's home

Kazue Takahashi

jREADER Takahash Kazue
Early Readers

Upon receiving an invitation, a boy goes to visit Kuma-Kuma Chan, a bear who lives far away, and although they have little to talk about they enjoy spending the day together.

It seems like an Early Reader book would be EASY to write, doesn't it? They're so short! In fact, the opposite is true. It is extremely challenging to craft a compelling story using a sharply limited vocabulary. For my money, Kuma-Kuma Chan's Home (and its companion, Kuma-Kuma Chan's Travels) are masterworks of the genre. A deceptively simple story, told in straightforward, no-frills prose, manages to make the heart swell at the truths about friendship, the loving bond between the characters, and the gently humorous obstacles, overcome with affable good cheer. The story bumps along agreeably, with the bear and the boy going with the flow on a day together that could have been awkward and stilted but is instead magical and sweet. -Anne W

The good left undone : a novel book cover
The good left undone : a novel book cover

The good left undone : a novel

Adriana Trigiani

FICTION Trigiani Adriana
Historical Fiction, Fiction

"From present day Viareggio to Glasgow during World War II, a multigenerational sweeping tale of love lost, family secrets, and reconciliation over decades from New York Times bestselling author Adriana Trigiani"--

"The Good Left Undone" is sweeping--a story crossing three generations covering a century. Trigiani is at her best in this novel. She really cares for her characters and this love shines through. That doesn't mean there isn't heartbreak or cruelty or tragedy in this novel. There is plenty of it--it covers mid-20th Century Europe. But Trigiani allows growth and healing to take place. To spin a quote from Edna Ferber's "So Big" mentioned in this very novel, Trigiani shows her characters living. -Anne M

A spoonful of frogs book cover
A spoonful of frogs book cover

A spoonful of frogs

Casey Lyall

jE Lyall
Picture Books, Fantasy, Humor, Cookbooks

Young readers will have a hopping good time in this hilarious story about a witch who is having a hard time wrangling a bunch of frogs into her frog soup until she comes up with a surprising solution.

Deliciously funny, cute, and perfect for the upcoming Halloween season! A Spoonful of Frogs is excellent for sharing aloud and repeated reads. -Casey

I can make this promise book cover
I can make this promise book cover

I can make this promise

Day, Christine, 1993- author.

jFICTION Day Christin

"When twelve-year-old Edie finds letters and photographs in her attic that change everything she thought she knew about her Native American mother's adoption, she realizes she has a lot to learn about her family's history and her own identity"--

This is a mystery/coming-of-age story about a young Native American girl learning about her family's past and navigating young friendships. I adored this story. -Bond

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