On the Shelf

Header Right Social

FacebookInstagramMeetupOn the Shelf Blog

Header Right Search

Queenie

by Leave a Comment

Queenie by Candice Carty-Williams
Format: Book, Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults

Queenie is the debut novel of Candice Carty-Williams, and it tells the story of 25-year-old Queenie Jenkins, a Jamaican British woman living in London. When we meet Queenie, she is moving out of the apartment that she shares with her boyfriend Tom. The two have agreed to go on a “break” and revisit their relationship in three months. This “break” serves as a catalyst for a series of self-destructive decisions that ultimately leave Queenie plagued by panic attacks and unable to live independently.

Carty-Williams uses Queenie as an opportunity to discuss mental health and as an ode to friendship and strong women, and she does this within the confines of a character that is struggling to find her place as a Black female in a world that does not respect Black bodies. At times, Queenie’s story seems mundane. But, there is a turning point, when the reader starts to observe that many of Queenie’s problems stem from childhood trauma. Thru Queenie, Carty-Williams highlights the PTSD that many underprivileged children experience and the way that PTSD is often mistaken for “bad” behavior.

With a supporting cast of characters that add humor and ease the weight of the novel, Queenie is worth the read. And, Carty-Williams has established herself as an author to watch. That being said, prospective readers should be advised that the novel contains some mature content, and it is recommended for adults only. Find it in the catalog.

Ink

by Leave a Comment

Ink by Alice Broadway
Format: Book, Audiobook
Who it’s for: Teens, Adults

Imagine a world where your life story is tattooed on your skin. Leora lives in such a world. In Saintstone, where she lives, all the citizens mark their bodies with their accomplishments. They are marked even at young age. Your name, your occupation, your family tree, your medical history, any great achievement you’ve earned, any crimes you’ve committed, all in ink for the world to see. No one in Saintstone has secrets. Or so Leora thinks. When her father dies, his skin is flayed and turned into a book, as is tradition. His book will be “read” at a “weighing of the soul” ceremony, where it will be determined whether he has lived a life worth remembering, and his book will be returned to his family, to be kept on a shelf with the rest of their ancestors, or he will be forgotten, and his book will be burned. Leora is confident her father was a good man, but there’s a terrible rumor going around that his book has been edited, and that he, and whoever altered his life story, committed a horrible crime, possibly colluding with the “blanks”—people outside of Saintstone who do not tattoo their bodies, who’s life stories are hidden from view. Ink by Alice Broadway, and its sequels Spark and Scar, are original and intriguing stories about family, friendship, rebellion, and redemption. Find Ink in our catalog.

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements

by Leave a Comment

The Disappearing Spoon: And Other True Tales of Madness, Love, and the History of the World from the Periodic Table of the Elements by Sam Kean
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults and Kids (young readers’ edition)

How has beautiful-but-deadly mercury helped us discover the sites where Lewis and Clark camped?

Why is the strong nuclear force like a Tyrannosaurus rex?

What quip by his friend Albert prompted Niels Bohr to reply, “Einstein! Stop telling God what to do”?

The Disappearing Spoon embarks on a journey through the periodic table—but a periodic table far removed from the boring version taught in so many high school chemistry classes. Sam Kean wields a sly sense of humor and a keen eye for human absurdities as he explores forgotten history, quirky science, and the strangeness of the universe.

The author has also published a young readers’ edition aimed at middle school students, to ensure that kids can get in the fun as well.

Oh—and that evanescent spoon? Mold it out of gallium (melting point 85 degrees F), give it to your friends for stirring their hot beverages, and savor their consternation as it disintegrates in their cups.

Better living through chemistry, indeed.

Find both editions in the catalog.

Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story

by Leave a Comment

Attack of the Furball: A Christina Starspeeder Story by Jarrett Krosoczka
Release date: September 3, 2019
Format: Book
Who’s it for: Kids

Young padawan Christina Starspeeder is having a tough year at the Jedi Academy! She left her younger brother at the lower Jedi Academy back on Coruscant to come to the advanced school on Jedha, where everything is harder. Her classes are harder, the droids are sarcastic, and her mentor, Jedi Master Skia Ro, is demanding. The only good thing is Christina’s secret new pet, an adorably fluffy baby nexu she sneaked back from a field trip to planet Cholganna. But cute little Fluffernut is starting to grow… and grow… and GROW! Christina didn’t know that nexu grow to be 14 feet long, or that they will chew up almost anything! To make matters worse, a mysterious bounty hunter is trying to steal Fluffernut. Can Christina protect her pet, outwit the bounty hunter, and make things right before she’s kicked out of Jedi Academy for good?
Find it in the catalog!
Find all the Jedi Academy books in the catalog!

Mapping Sam

by Leave a Comment

Mapping Sam by Joyce Hesselberth
Format: Book
Who it’s For: Kids

Each night, after her family goes to bed, Sam the cat slips outside to roam and explore the neighborhood. Sam’s journey is mapped out for readers and provides a perfect demonstration of how and why maps are used. Readers learn about map drawing and things like the compass rose and scale, while being told a fun story about a curious cat. The book also discusses other types of maps, like a map of the body or a map of the constellations.

This is the perfect blend of fiction and nonfiction and is a great beginner’s book for learning about maps. The illustrations are beautiful and the story keeps readers engaged while they learn about the different things that can be mapped, finally asking the question “Can you map a dream?” While GPS has taken over the everyday use of maps, Mapping Sam demonstrates the ways maps are still useful and relevant today and teaches children how to read them.

Mapping Sam is a new addition to our Side by Side collection! Pick up a copy for fun activities and discussion questions connected to the book.

Find it in the catalog!

My Fourth of July

by Leave a Comment

My Fourth of July by Jerry Spinelli, illustrated by Larry Day
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Wherever this place is I want to go live there too, because what could be better than spending a whole day celebrating with all the folks in your town? From the moment the boy wakes he’s celebrating, joining in a kids parade, helping his parents prepare a delicious picnic and walking to the park early to get a table.   At the park there are races, games, face painting, visits to the town zoo, concerts, and food, food, FOOD! But the best part of his day comes last. The boy is in charge of the most important job of the day—finding the best viewing spot for fireworks! In My Fourth of July, Jerry Spinelli beautifully captures the joy of a young boy in a small town as he celebrates his favorite holiday with family and friends, from happy, busy morning to sleepy night.

http://catalog.somd.lib.md.us/polaris/view.aspx?title=My+Fourth+of+July