Our May display at the Main Library is now up! Check out the latest books, DVDs, and CDs recommended by MPL staff!
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May MPL Staff Recommendations
Fiction
- The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. “A startling yet powerful look at a future where women have no rights, where love is forbidden but despite this bleak picture, there is a glimmer of hope.” ~Jacqui
- The All-Girl Filling Station’s Last Reunion, by Fannie Flagg. “A Fannie Flagg tribute to the Greatest Generation and the Women’s Army Service Pilots (WASP’s).” ~John
- The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time, by Mark Haddon. “Light mystery that also gives some insight into the life of a teenager on the autism spectrum.” ~Dawn
- The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini. “Khaled Hosseini’s writing about families and social and political turmoil in Afghanistan is riveting!” ~Dawn
- Match Me if You Can, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. “It’s a romantic comedy that will leave you wanting more. ” ~April
- Into the Beautiful North, by Luis Alberto Urrea. “This powerful novel by Luis Alberto Urrea is a must-read. It had me literally crying and then laughing from one page to the next, and I could not put it down. There are a lot of Spanglish inside jokes and cultural references that will draw in anyone from the US-Mexico border!” ~Julia
- The Jeeves Omnibus, by P. G. Wodehouse. “Wodehouse has a masterful command of language, and his comedy is at its best in his stories following dimwitted aristocrat Bertie Wooster and his genius servant Jeeves as they are forced to dig themselves out of the numerous catastrophes that they find themselves in.” ~Robert
Young Adult Fiction
- Stitching Snow, by R. C. Lewis. “A futuristic, modern retelling of the Snow White fairy tale – with seven droids instead of seven dwarves, and a princess who knows how to kick butt.” ~Elizabeth
- Eleanor and Park, by Rainbow Rowell. “Lets just say you will laugh, cry, swoon, and repeat. ” ~April
Juvenile Fiction
- The Fourteenth Goldfish, by Jennifer L. Holm. “Eleven year old Ellie see her seventy-six year old grandfather in a whole new light, especially now that he appears only two years older than she is. A fountain of youth story with a lesson on how living one’s life with loved ones can be a greater experience than immortality.” ~Rolando
- The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry. “The Little Prince is one of those rare books that surpasses any specific readership and deeply affects all those who get lost within its pages.” ~Sara
- Mister Max: The Book of Lost Things, by Cynthia Voigt. “The story’s creative blend of action, adventure and mystery propels twelve-year-old Maximilian Sterling into seeking answers to the disappearance of his theatrical parents, while solving problems for his community by becoming Mister Max the Solutioneer. This first book is a fantastic introduction to author Cynthia Voigt’s thrilling trilogy. Book two is already on our shelf and book three will be released by the end of 2015, and I can’t wait to find out how the saga ends!” ~Rolando
Picture Book Fiction
- Little White Rabbit, by Kevin Henkes. “A sweet read along for little ones. Rabbit uses his imagination in many ways.” ~Kristina
- My Name Is Not Isabella, by Jennifer Fosberry. “If you could be anyone who would you be? Isabella shows us that you can be anyone you want to be. This is a great book for little girls with some great historical facts.” ~Kristina
Mystery
- The Keeper of Lost Causes, by Jussi Adler-Olsen. “Carl MØrck is a deeplly flawed main character – but that’s what makes him, and how he interacts with the rest of his rag-tag “investigative team” so appealing, as they try to solve bizarre cold cases in Denmark.” ~Elizabeth
Science Fiction
- Dune, by Frank Herbert. “A classic of science fiction literature, Dune takes the reader to fantastic settings and has enough intrigue and drama to satisfy people who enjoy well plotted character-driven stories.” ~Robert
- Conspiracies, by F. Paul Wilson. “It is a good introduction to the character and probably one of the better books in the series.” ~Sean
Biography
- The Lost Cyclist : The Epic Tale of an American Adventurer and His Mysterious Disappearance, by David Herlihy. “Epic journey becomes epic mystery sparking a second epic journey.” ~John
- Angela’s Ashes, by Frank McCourt. “This book is heartbreaking and humorous. One of the best memoirs of Irish author Frank McCourt.” ~Naomi
- Yes Please, by Amy Poehler. “Amy Poehler has a weird, witty, and absolutely hilarious view on her life, don’t deny yourself humor. ” ~Jessica
- García Márquez: El viaje a la semilla, by Dasso Saldívar. “A comprehensive and fascinating biography. ‘Si hubiera leído antes El viaje a la semilla, no habría escrito mis memorias.’ — García Márquez” ~Ema
Nonfiction
- Congratulations, By The Way: Some Thoughts on Kindness, by George Saunders. [177.7 Sau] “The expanded text to the author’s commencement speech on kindness and growth.” ~Dylan
- Protest graffiti – Mexico : Oaxaca, by Louis E. V. Nevaer. [Y 303.484 Nev] “An insightful look into how graffiti voices social justice concerns in Oaxaca.” ~Priscilla
- Cómo aman las madres y cómo nacen las relaciones, by Naomi Stadlen. [SP 306.8743 Sta] “Ofrece consejos y tranquilidad para las madres en el cuidado de sus hijos a través de acciones que comunican su amor y crean una relación fuerte. (Offers sound advice for mothers in caring for their infants through actions that communicate their love and create a strong relationship.)” ~Ema
- Cooking (for A**holes), by Zach Golden. [641.502 Gol] “Zach tells two page stories about awful and terrible things he has done in his life paired with a recipe for faux forgiveness.” ~Jessica
- The Complete Photo Guide to Knitting, by Margaret Hubert. [746.43 Hub c1] “Great instructions, clear, brilliant pictures…wonderful guide for both beginner and expert.” ~Nancy
- Speed knitting : 24 Quick and Easy Projects, by Kris Percival. [746.432 Per c1] “New to knitting and want something quick to show off your new skills? This is the perfect book for that.” ~Nancy
- Dean and Me, by Jerry Lewis. [791.092 Lew c1] “I liked some of their old movies and thought I’d like the book about their partnership. I did.” ~Sean
- The Book of What Remains, by Benjamin Alire Saenz. [811.54 Sae] “An entertaining book of poems by an acclaimed Mexican-American author about life in the desert.” ~Priscilla
BLU Ray/DVDs
- Fruitvale Station; directed by Ryan Coogler. [BLU 791.43 Fru] “This powerful film shows us the human side of this tragic but all too common problem of police brutality plaguing our society today. ” ~Bobby
- MILK; directed by Gus Van Sant. [BLU 791.4372 Mil] “The inspiring true story of one man’s courage to stand up for equal rights for gay and lesbian’s, a fight that still continues today, in light of an upcoming decision by the U.S. Supreme Court on gay marriage.” ~Bobby
- Silver Linings Playbook; directed by David O. Russell. [DVD 791.43 Sil ] “A hilarious, quirky, unexpected love story that’ll keep you smiling the whole way through!” ~Tanya
- Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown; directed by Pedro Almodóvar. [DVD 791.43 Wom] “A comedy that is not at all predictable. Watch this with your friends while serving gazpacho!” ~Beverly
- Ain’t Them Bodies Saints; directed by David Lowery. [DVD 791.4372 Ain] “A beautiful pastoral film about a young outlaw couple struggling to reunite. ” ~Dylan
- Midnight in Paris; directed by Woody Allen. [DVD 791.4372 Mid] “A fun and light-hearted romantic comedy about an American couple in Paris. A nostalgic screenwriter from Los Angeles finds himself transported to Paris in the 1920’s every night at midnight, where he meets all of his literary heroes and has to decide if the grass really is greener on the other side. ” ~Julia
Music CDs
- Trio Los Panchos. [SP CD 782.4216 Pan] “One of the best trios to sing musica romantica. Even if you don’t understand the Spanish lyrics, you can enjoy this beautiful heartfelt music.” ~Beverly
We hope you enjoy these selections!
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