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The Barnabus Project

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The Barnabus Project by Terry, Eric, and Devin Fan
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Kids

A 2021-2022 Black Eyed Susan Book Award nominee, The Barnabus Project tells the story of Barabus, a “failed project” living in a glass jar under the Perfect Pets store. Barnabus and his friends were created in the lab under the store, but didn’t quite turn out as expected. Barnabus, half elephant and half mouse, discovers that he and his friends are about to be recycled. Cue the escape scene! Barnabus and the other “failed” projects work together to try to make it to the outside world they’ve heard so much about.

Terry and Eric Fan are known as The Fan Brothers, a writer-illustrator duo responsible for such works as The Night Gardener, named an ALA Notable Children’s Book. In The Barnabus Project, they are joined by their brother Devin in his debut. The brothers’ artistic style is almost cinematic and the details will keep everyone interested.

Some aspects of the story are a bit dark (there are scary green-suited figures, and the lab itself is depicted as quite dark and mysterious), and the story brings up questions about what “perfect” and “failed” really might mean, so parents and caregivers may want to read The Barnabus Project before sharing with the kids in their lives to be sure it will appeal to them.

Find The Barnabus Project in the catalog.

Bee People and the Bugs They Love

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Bee People and the Bugs They Love by Frank Mortimer
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

Did you know that honeybees can count to four? Or that the forager bees dance in the hive to let others know where to find the best flower patches? These and other fascinating bee tidbits are interspersed with Frank Mortimer’s personal journey to becoming a master beekeeper in Bee People and the Bugs They Love. 

Not intended as a how-to of beekeeping, this is a fun, quick read that begins with Mortimer’s foray into beekeeping in northeastern New Jersey and follows him through mistakes (pulling a tree down on his own hive), successes (hives over seven feet tall with 340 pounds of honey), and interactions with other beekeepers (like Scooby, who painted his hives in psychedelic colors and patterns). Along the way, Mortimer discusses threats to bees (specifically the Varroa mite), hive roles, the science of honey production, and much more.

While Mortimer has a tendency to repeat himself, his information is solid and his writing style is accessible. He provides a look at both the relationship between bees and the environment, as well as the one between bees and beekeepers. Recommended for those with an interest in bees who enjoy a good story.

Find Bee People and the Bugs They Love in the catalog.

Lift

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Lift by Minh Lê, art by Dan Santat
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Kids

Those of us who are older siblings can probably relate to Iris’ experience in Lift. Iris has always been the one to push the buttons on the elevator in her family’s building. But now, her baby brother has taken over her favorite job. She’s upset, but soon finds herself in possession of an elevator button of her own that opens new worlds from her bedroom. But does she want to explore them alone?

Though not a completely wordless picture book, Lift provides the opportunity to expand on the story with your child through Santat’s graphic novel-like illustrations. Pick out the small details that add to the feeling of the story and spin your own tales while Iris explores other worlds. This picture book is fun for kids and adults alike, and especially for all those older siblings out there.

Find Lift in the catalog.

Piranesi

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Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

Perfect for fans of Madeline Miller (Circe, Song of Achilles), Piranesi is the story of the titular character who lives in a labyrinth-like House with countless rooms, statues, and even an ocean trapped inside. Through Piranesi’s journal entries, we learn about the Tide, the 13 skeletons he cares for, and the Other, the only other living human Piranesi encounters. 

It’s best to go into this book knowing little about it, so I won’t give too much away, but as we learn of Piranesi’s discoveries in the House and his interactions with the Other, something starts to feel a bit off. Where (and what) is the House? Who is Piranesi? Who is the Other? 

It takes a bit of effort to get through this book – it’s not long (under 250 pages, far shorter than Clarke’s 700+ page Jonathan Strange and Mr Norrell), but it’s chock full of symbolism and metaphor. Take the time to read slowly to appreciate the references and uncover the mysteries of the House and the Other with Piranesi.

Find Piranesi in the catalog.

The Eyre Affair

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The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde
Format: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

The Eyre Affair introduces Thursday Next, a literary detective living in a parallel universe with a time traveling father and an uncle experimenting with literal bookworms. Thursday works for SpecOps 27, the division that investigates manuscript forgeries and other literary crimes. The Eyre Affair sees Thursday battling with literary villain Acheron Hades. Hades has stolen the Prose Portal, allowing him to enter manuscripts and kidnap characters for ransom. He starts with Martin Chuzzelwit, but his ultimate goal is to remove Jane Eyre from the pages of Jane Eyre. If he succeeds, Jane will be removed from all copies of the novel. It’s up to Thursday to stop him and save Jane Eyre. 

The first book in the Thursday Next series (there are seven in total), The Eyre Affair immerses the reader in Thursday’s alternate universe. The Crimean War never ended, Russia still has a tsar, and cloning animals is widespread (Thursday’s pet is a dodo v1.2 named Pickwick). This sets the stage for the rest of the series – we learn in the second book about the BookWorld, occupied by literary characters with its own police force (Jurisfiction). 

For readers with an interest in classic literature (Fforde constantly drops in references to classic novels and poems) and inventive, sometimes absurd alternate realities, The Eyre Affair is a fun and exciting introduction to a great series.

Find The Eyre Affair in the catalog.

The Song of Achilles

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The Song of Achilles by Madeline Miller
Format: eBook, Book, Audiobook
Who it’s for: Adults, Teens

The Song of Achilles is a retelling of the story of Achilles from the point of view of Patroclus, his best friend and eventual lover. Miller takes the stories we know from The Iliad and fills in the blanks, starting with Achilles’ childhood and the beginnings of his relationship with Patroclus. Achilles is a complicated figure. More than the arrogant, brash man who fought in the Trojan War, he is depicted as often unsure of himself, kind, and capable of love. 

We follow Achilles and Patroclus from childhood to their adolescence, during which they travel to train under the centaur, Chiron, to young adulthood. Through it all, Achilles’ mother, Thetis, appears often to express her displeasure with her son’s relationship with Patroclus. We see Achilles and Patrolcus grow closer over the years, ultimately falling in love before the story turns to the more familiar Trojan War years. Although you may know what happens next, Miller’s writing makes the entire series of events gut-wrenching.

The Song of Achilles is for anyone with even a passing interest in Greek mythology, or anyone who likes a well-written romance with a dash of war and vengeful gods. Also recommended is Miller’s second novel, Circe, a retelling of the life of Circe, a daughter of Helios.