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Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death

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Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? Big Questions from Tiny Mortals about Death by Caitlin Doughty
Formats: Book, eBook
Who it’s for: Adults and Teens

Ever wonder what happens to people’s bodies after they die? Well, so do most kids…and the kids aren’t shy about asking those questions out loud!

Caitlin Doughty, founder of The Order of the Good Death and the Ask a Mortician web series, isn’t shy about answering them either. Will My Cat Eat My Eyeballs? contains her candid and witty replies to questions ranging from the practical (What would happen if you died on a plane?) to the ultimate practical joke (What would happen if you swallowed a bag of popcorn before you died and were cremated?)

To learn the answer to whether your eyeballs look like tasty morsels to your favorite furry companion after you die, find it in the catalog.

Around the Table that Grandad Built

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Around the Table that Grandad Built by Melanie Heuiser Hill, illustrated by Jaime Kim
Publication/Release Date: 2019
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Around the Table that Grandad Built is a lovely celebration of family, tradition, memory, and gratitude. In cumulative text along the lines of “The House that Jack Built,” a joyful multicultural family prepares to share a special meal. They begin by moving “the table that grandad” built in to the center of the room, then gather “the sunflowers picked by my cousins” and “the napkins sewn by mom.” Each item used to set the table is special and treasured. Then comes the food- produce from the family’s garden and favorite recipes made with love. When all is ready, the extended family gathers to hold hands and give thanks around the table that Grandad built. This picture book is perfect for Thanksgiving, or any special family celebration!
Find it in the catalog.

The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware

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The Turn of the Key by Ruth Ware
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

An isolated mansion in the hills of Scotland. An app that controls every lock and camera. A mysterious noise in the attic. And a nanny sitting in prison, explaining how she did not kill a little girl.

The Turn of the Key is the perfect mix of a Gothic ghost story, as it is based on Henry James’s The Turn of the Screw, and a cautionary tale of what happens when we let technology invade every aspect of our lives.

Rowan is a young woman moving to the Scottish Highlands to work as a nanny for three little girls. The pay is high, and the house is an amazing hybrid of Victorian architecture and modern style. The mansion is equipped with state-of-the-art technology that allows everything to be controlled through an app.

As Rowan tries to settle into her new role, she is disturbed by footsteps in the attic and whispers about ghosts scaring away the girls’ previous nannies.

Told through Rowan’s perspective as she recounts what happened after she arrived at the house, the novel’s twists and turns kept me guessing until the very last page.

I devoured this book in one day, because I just had to know what happened to land our protagonist in prison. This is easily my favorite Ruth Ware novel, and I would highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys a good mystery.

Find it in the catalog!

Harriet Tubman – Two Recommended Books

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Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson
Format: Book
Who it’s for:  Kids

 

 

Who Was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough and Illustrated by Nancy Harrison
Series Title: Who Was–?
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Kids

Anyone from Maryland should know who Harriet Tubman is, but do you really?  I’m from Cambridge, so of course I know who she is, right?  I do, of course, but I wanted to learn more especially with the new movie coming out – https://www.focusfeatures.com/harriet/.  And, I want my kids to know who she is, so I read two different books about her that are geared towards kids.

First I read, Moses: When Harriet Tubman Led Her People to Freedom by Carole Boston Weatherford and Illustrated by Kadir Nelson.   This book won a Caldecott Honor in 2007 and the Coretta Scott King Award for Illustrator in 2007.  It is truly a beautiful book.  The story follows Harriet shortly after she is told she is about to be sold by her owner, through her years transporting people on the Underground Railroad.  It is about how she was given the name Moses and her faith in God which led her to do the right thing.   This is a work of fiction and some of the story differs from other accounts of Harriet’s life, but I still think it is a great way to introduce a child to Harriet Tubman.   Find it in the catalog

Next I read, Who Was Harriet Tubman? By Yona Zeldis McDonough and Illustrated by Nancy Harrison.  This is part of the Who Was–? Series which are biographies for kids.  Written like a story, this biography was easy to read and is full of factual information about the time during which Harriet lived.  I actually prefer to read kids biographies because you learn about the person but without being overwhelmed with facts (oh and there are usually pictures!).  This biography describes Harriet’s work on the Underground Railroad, as a nurse during the Civil War and as a Spy for the Union army.  Find it in the catalog

Now I’m ready to see the movie!

 

Pet

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Pet by Akwaeke Emezi
Published: September 2019
Book
Who it’s for: Teens

Find it in the catalog

Jam lives in a world where monsters no longer exist. The angels have made the world safe again by eradicating the monsters. School children learn of the angels and monsters, but people have done little to prevent their reemergence. When a horrific looking creature named Pet steps from Jam’s mother’s painting, Jam must come to grips with the fact that there is a monster in her best friend’s house. With the monster hunter Pet by her side, she must make some tough decisions to protect her friend.

This creative story teaches us that monsters aren’t always what they seem , and that merely telling the tales of angels isn’t enough to stop the wicked. Brave people like Jam must speak up and fight to reveal the wolves in sheep’s clothing that live among us.

The Duke and I

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The Duke and I by Julia Quinn
Format: Book and eBook
Who it’s for: Adults

Simon is never getting married. He has simply decided it’s not an option. However, this doesn’t stop all the marriage-minded mamas from trying to snag a duke for their daughters. Daphne would love to get married, but everyone seems to think of her more of a friend and not a potential bride. Daphne and Simon concoct a brilliant plan to help both of them through the marriage season in London. They will pretend to be court. This will help Daphne attract the eye of other eligible men, and Simon can escape the efforts of those marriage-minded mamas. However, neither planned on actually falling in love. Julia Quinn’s first novel in the lovely Bridgertons series, The Duke and I, is a sweet and funny story of two very stubborn people learning just what it means to make a relationship work. Be on the lookout for the Shonda Rhimes’ Netflix series featuring all the Bridgerton siblings, which will be out next year. Find it in the catalog