There’s no better time to head outside, sit in the shade, sip a cool drink and read a book. Whether it’s an e-reader download or an old school hardcover, books are best enjoyed in the summertime under a blue sky and blazing sun.
So, we went right to the source and asked the fine folks at Everett Public Library for the books they’re looking forward to reading most this summer. Here’s what they came up with:
Carol Ellison, cataloger
“Oh Joy!” by Joy Cho
A fun DIY book of awesome summer projects by the author of the popular blog Oh Joy.
“The Misadventures of Awkward Black Girl” by Issa Rae
Part memoir, part guidebook for other Awkward Black Girls, laughter and insight in equal measures. I’m halfway through and find myself wishing I had a BFF like Issa.
“Mapmaker” by Mark Bomback &Galaxy Craze
Teenagers Tanya and Connor stumble on a deadly secret while working at the digital mapmaking company where Tanya’s dead father once worked. Mystery, adventure, and hopefully some romance.
“The Sasquatch Hunter’s Almanac” by Sharma Shields
A dark, fantastical, multi-generational tale about a family whose patriarch is consumed by the hunt for the mythical, elusive Sasquatch he encountered in his youth. The author of this novel is speaking at a library conference this fall and I want to read it first.
Ron Averill, Library Tech
“File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents” by Lemony Snicket
The All the Wrong Questions series features a young Lemony Snicket being mentored in the art of detectiving by a mysterious woman, whilst attempting to unravel perplexing questions in the curious village of Stain’d-by-the-Sea.
Richard Woolfe, Reference Librarian
“Eating Rome: Living the Good Life in the Eternal City” by Elizabeth Minchilli
The eternal city has culture, monuments and beauty in spades but oh my, the food. If you don’t have the time or money to visit the ancient capital this summer, this book should offer the next best thing with a culinary tour from a local expert.
Leslie Minor, Youth Services Librarian
“At the Water’s Edge” by Sara Gruen
Set during World War II, Maddie, her husband Ellis and his best friend Hank leave their pampered high society lives in Philadelphia after falling out of grace with family in search of the Loch Ness Monster. This is a moving love story set in an unusual setting.
“The Harder They Come” by T.C. Boyle
T.C. Boyle’s The Harder They Come is on my list because I loved Tortilla Curtain. Inspired by a true story and set in contemporary Northern California, it explores the volatile connections between three damaged people as they careen toward an explosive confrontation.
“The Wright Brothers” by David McCullough
As he did so brilliantly in The Great Bridge and The Path Between the Seas, David McCullough once again tells a dramatic story of people and technology, this time about the courageous brothers who taught the world how to fly, Wilbur and Orville Wright.
“Go Set a Watchman” by Harper Lee
This should be a great summer read and is sure to be popular. Twenty years after the trial of Tom Robinson, Scout returns home to Maycomb to visit her father and struggles with personal and political issues in her small Alabama town.
Lisa Labovitch, History Specialist
“The Fair Fight: A Novel” by Anna Freeman
Born in a brothel in late eighteenth-century England, homely Ruth escapes an uncertain future in an unlikely place: the bareknuckle prize fighting rings of Bristol.
“This Book is Gay” by James Dawson
Gay, straight, questioning, and everyone in-between and beyond. This book is an instruction manual and question and answer session for anyone interested in learning more about growing up LGBTQ. A funny, honest, and enlightening read for teens and adults alike.
“The Subprimes” by Karl Taro Greenfeld
In the apocalyptic future, Americans are segregated by their credit scores. Those with bad credit, dubbed Subprimes, inhabit an underground world of unemployment and fear. Follow a Subprime family as they journey east to seek out a better life.
“Spectacle: The Astonishing Life of Ota Benga” by Pamela Newkirk
After being displayed at the 1904 World’s Fair’s Human Zoo, a Congolese man (dubbed a “pygmy”) was moved into the Monkey House at the New York Zoological Society. This is his shockingly true story of racial prejudice.
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