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Here are some books that other staff members at Polk County Public Libraries have read and enjoyed recently!

 

The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse by Charlie Mackesy (recommended by Suzanne)

The author offers inspiration and hope in uncertain times in this beautiful book, following the tale of a curious boy, a greedy mole, a wary fox, and a wise horse who find themselves together in sometimes difficult terrain, sharing their greatest fears and biggest discoveries about vulnerability, kindness, hope, friendship, and love. 

 

Girl Decoded: A Scientist’s Quest to Reclaim Our Humanity by Bringing Emotional Intelligence to Technology by Rana el Kaliouby and Carol Colman (recommended by Dawn)

In a captivating memoir, an Egyptian American visionary and scientist provides an intimate view of her personal transformation as she follows her calling—to humanize our technology and how we connect with one another.

 

Trust by Hernan Diaz (recommended by Winston)

Even through the roar and effervescence of the 1920s, everyone in New York has heard of Benjamin and Helen Rask. He is a legendary Wall Street tycoon; she is the daughter of eccentric aristocrats. Together, they have risen to the very top of a world of seemingly endless wealth—all as a decade of excess and speculation draws to an end. But at what cost have they acquired their immense fortune? This is the mystery at the center of Bonds, a successful 1937 novel that all of New York seems to have read. Yet there are other versions of this tale of privilege and deceit.

 

George Washington Carver: A Biography by Gary R. Kremer (recommended by Paul)

This insightful work chronicles the life of George Washington Carver, the renowned African American scientist and teacher. It begins with a discussion of the political and social circumstances in Missouri where Carver was born into slavery, circa 1864. Readers will follow Carver through his formal education to his decision to accept Booker T. Washington’s offer to teach and do research at the Tuskegee Institute in Alabama.

 

Hide by Kiersten White (recommended by Delaney)

The challenge: Spend a week hiding in an abandoned amusement park and don’t get caught. The prize: enough money to change everything. Even though everyone is desperate to win—to seize a dream future or escape a haunting past—Mack is sure she can beat her competitors. All she has to do is hide, and she’s an expert at that. It’s the reason she’s alive, and her family isn’t. But as the people around her begin disappearing one by one, Mack realizes that this competition is even more sinister than she imagined, and that together might be the only way to survive. 

 

In Limbo by Deb JJ Lee (recommended by Alice)

Ever since Deborah (Jung-Jin) Lee emigrated from South Korea to the United States, she’s felt her otherness. In high school, everything gets harder. Friendships change and end; she falls behind in classes and fights with her mom escalate. Caught in limbo, with nowhere safe to go, Deb finds her mental health plummeting. But she is resilient and slowly heals with the help of art and self-care, guiding her to a deeper understanding of her heritage and herself. This stunning debut graphic memoir features page after page of gorgeous, evocative art and is a cross-section of the Korean-American diaspora and mental health, a moving and powerful read.

 

The Caretaker by Ron Rash (recommended by Cathy)

Told against the backdrop of the Korean War as a small Appalachian town sends its sons to battle, this is a breathtaking love story and a searing examination of the acts we seek to justify in the name of duty, family, honor, and love.

 

Jen Pace Dickenson is the Youth Services Librarian for Polk County Public Libraries. For information about the library’s resources, programs, and other services, visit polklibrary.org or call (828) 894-8721.