Frankenkitty

Maudie Powell-Tuck

Picture Book

"Frankenkitty" is a purrrfect read for summerween or to kickstart spooky season! Terrible things are happening at a castle, but none so terrible as the creation of Frankenkitty. He's small, adorable and so alone... maybe we got it all wrong? Maybe the things we think are monsters are just a little different. Will Olive be able to save him before it's too late?  Full of horror tropes and hilarious narration this book is perfect for Halloween lovers! 

-Emily Stone, Youth Services Librarian

 

Penelope Positano Sees It All

Katie Cotungo​​

Juvenile Chapter Book

For two hours every day, seven-year-old Penelope Positano wears an eye patch. Her eye muscles don’t quite match, and wearing the patch on her strong eye helps her less-strong eye catch up. And whenever she wears her eye patch, Penelope notices things that other people overlook. The Positanos are getting a dog, and it’s Penelope’s job to find the perfect pup for her family. Her mom thinks they should pick the most obedient dog, and her dad wants the dog that likes his music the best, but Penelope’s not sure. Her best friend Gus said she would know which dog was meant to be hers, but the more Penelope looks, the more she worries that her dog isn’t out there. It’s only with the encouragement of her grandma—and the help of her trusty eye patch—that Penelope realizes the perfect dog might be closer than she thinks.

- Harry N. Abrams

 

The Last Immortals: Dawn of the Axolotl

Kit Brooks

Middle Grade

There’s danger lurking in the depths of the lake. Ace learns this early―when his twin brother cruelly devours his tail and leaves him for dead. Separated from his family, Ace is cast into a perilous waterway. He is wary of trusting others, but his survival will depend on it as he navigates treacherous algae blooms and hunts for food while he waits for his tail to regenerate. And when he stumbles upon a glowing green axolotl named Ariel, he learns that, with training, axolotls can develop an amazing power: immortality. With high rewards come unspeakable risks, and Ace has been hurt before. But the potential to cheat death might be too hard to resist. This action-packed adventure explores the strength that develops through adversity as Ace confronts bullying, betrayal, poisoned waters, and vicious predators, all while forming lasting bonds with the courageous axolotls he meets along the way.

- Christy Ottaviano Books

 

Together We See

Ari Tison

Young Adult Mystery

old in multiple points of view, Together We See follows Ulá Dominguez, a Bribri-American teenager, searching for the truth behind her land-activist father's mysterious death on their Native territory in Costa Rica. Ulá and her brother, Kabék, uncover secrets and corruption as they face off against illegal loggers, kidnappers, settlers, and the local government in the hunt for clues. Their only allies are a few family friends and relatives still living in Bribri, as well as a young journalist, who may be in danger himself. But as details of their father's death emerge, long-held trust is broken. And in this sinister web of deception, no one is safe. Inspired by real-world missing, dead, and attacked Indigenous activists, award-winning author Ari Tison writes her first novel in prose and pushes the envelope yet again by pulling together a propulsive story full of grief, environmental justice, and the fight for retribution.

-‎ Farrar, Straus and Giroux (BYR)

 

A Founding Mother

Stephanie Dray

Adult Fiction

In the heart of revolutionary Boston, Abigail Adams raises her children amid riots, blockades, and the outbreak of war. While her husband, John Adams, rises from country lawyer to nation-builder, often away for years at a time, Abigail builds her own independence—managing their farm, making lucrative investments, amassing savings, battling plague and loss, and defending their home. Unafraid to speak her mind, she famously offers fearless political counsel, urging John to “remember the ladies” in the new government. Through it all, she becomes his most trusted confidante and indispensable ally. When peace is secured, Abigail steps onto the world stage—exchanging ideas with Thomas Jefferson in the French countryside, navigating court life as the wife of the Minister to Great Britain, and presiding over the parlor politics of the early American republic in New York, Philadelphia, and Washington, DC. Even after her husband’s presidential administration, she continues battling political foes and working behind the scenes to advance her family, secure independence for the women in her life, and ensure a better life for the next generation of Americans. From war-torn streets to the chandeliered halls of power, A Founding Mother is the unforgettable story of a woman ahead of her time—one whose voice, vision, and valor still resonate powerfully today.

-‎ William Morrow Paperbacks

 

How to Try Again

Steve Kamb

Adult Non-Fiction

Some people wake up at 4 AM, run fifteen miles barefoot, and then meditate in an ice bath. THIS BOOK IS FOR THE REST OF US. Steve Kamb's How To Try Again is an approachable guide to help readers transform their lives by giving up more often, failing faster, and mastering the art of starting over. Transform your life by quitting unhealthy expectations. Transform your life by failing compassionately. Transform your life by trying again differently. The false promises of optimized wellness and productivity are a recipe for personal blame and frustration. Fortunately, escaping this doom loop is Steve Kamb's superpower. Kamb has helped tens of millions make sustainable progress, even when life happens. Blending empathy, humor, and REAL advice, How to Try Again will help you navigate everyday chaos, restart without guilt, and make change that sticks.

-‎ St. Martin's Press