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Dumplin’

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Dumplin’ by Julie Murphy
Format: Book, Audio Book
Whose it for: Adults and Teens

Willowdean Dixon introduces self as “cashier, Dolly Parton enthusiast, and resident fat girl.”  She doesn’t consider her weight and stature to be a nuisance as some might think. “I mean, if it were 1642, my wide birthing hips would be worth many cows or something.” But in Clover City, Texas, football stars and beauty pageant queens reign supreme. Despite this, Will (nicknamed ‘Dumplin’ by her former beauty queen mom) has never struggled to love herself and her body… until she meets Bo Larson aka “Peach Butt” whose attention and affection give Will a whole new sense of self-doubt.  This insecurity is amplified when her best friend, Ellen, makes new “twiggy” friends, who make no secret of what they think of Will, her weight, and her friendship with Ellen.  In order to regain her confidence, Will does the most horrifying thing she can imagine: entering the Miss Teen Blue Bonnet beauty pageant.  Motivated by Will’s bravery, some other unlikely candidates join the cause and gain help from a few unconventional sources.

This book focuses mainly on the theme of body image, but touches on relationships, family life, and grief.  Dumplin’, though adorable and hilarious, teaches about body positivity and self-love, not only for the ample-bodied, but for anyone who views themselves as an obstacle rather than an asset. Find it in the catalog.

The Girl with No Name

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The Girl with No Name by Diney Costeloe
Format: CD Book
Who it’s for:  Adults and teens

Lisa is a thirteen year old Jewish girl escaping Nazi Germany after her family has been driven from their home.  She was sent to England with other children and eventually arrived in London, lonely, scared and unable to speak English.  A childless couple took her in and cared for her.  Lisa attended school with many other refugee children and she gradually learned English.  When the Nazis bombed London Lisa escaped to a bomb shelter but she was injured.  She lost her memory and couldn’t recall anything about her previous life.  She was transferred to a children’s home until it also became a target of the attacks.  Another evacuation forced her to find a new home in the country with a kind spinster woman.  If you are a fan of historical novels, listen to this captivating story by Diney Costeloe.  This is the first book in the series.  The next one is The Married Girls.

The narrator, Anna Bentinck, has a wonderful speaking voice and makes this story come to life.  She is a British actress and producer who has done hundreds of broadcasts on BBC, was the voice for an animation series and has narrated many audiobooks.  The author, Diney Costeloe, writes historical novels and also writes romantic novels under the name of Diney Delancey.

Find it in the catalog

Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence

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Title: Hannah Green and Her Unfeasibly Mundane Existence by Michael Marshall Smith
Format: Book
Who It’s For: Adults

Hannah Green is eleven years old and her parents are separating. Her mother is working in London and Hannah is home in Santa Cruz with her father. She misses her mother, but finds herself missing her father more as, though he is right in front of her, he seems to be lost. She goes through her daily routine – school, homework, food, bed. Her life becomes “horribly, unfeasibly mundane.” Until her father sends her to stay with her world-traveling grandfather for a while in a cabin in the Pacific Northwest and the Devil shows up. The Devil has discovered that he is no longer benefitting from the dark power usually transferred to him when humans commit bad deeds. This might have something to do with a machine Hannah’s grandfather built.

Hannah, her grandfather, the Devil, and an accident imp named Vaneclaw travel to the Behind (a version of Hell you can get to without dying) via Siberia to try to get to the bottom of the mystery. Meanwhile, Hannah’s father has disappeared and a man with bad intentions sets out toward Santa Cruz to fulfill an unknown mission. All these individuals come together at a roller coaster on the Santa Cruz boardwalk where the fate of humanity will be decided.

Reminiscent of Terry Pratchett, Neil Gaiman, and Jasper Fforde, Smith has produced a story and characters that stick with you and leave you wanting more.

Find it in the catalog.

White Hot

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White Hot by Ilona Andrews
Format: CD Audio Book #2
Who It’s For: Adults

In this Hidden Legacy Series book, best-selling authors Ilona Andrews a pseudonym for a husband and wife writing team, have put out another magical detective story.

Nevada Baylor is the lead in a family owned detective agency. She possesses a unique secret magic skill –she knows when people are lying.

She has used this skill and good old-fashioned hard work to solve cases, which has built her family business up and kept it afloat. Her magic skill is a secret, in a time when magic users are the norm.

Conner Rogan is a billionaire prime, one of the highest-ranking magic users. They are working together to solve a mystery that has them pitted against powerful magic possessors. The sparks between Nevada and Rogan are undeniable but Nevada refuses to see them. As Nevada hones her magic skills, she and Rogan will soon discover that ice can burn.

Find it in the catalog.

The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb

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Title: The Autobiography of Mrs. Tom Thumb by Melanie Benjamin
Format: Audiobook, also available in print and e-book
Who’s it for: Adults

Ladies and gentlemen, step right up and dive into the circus world of the 1800s through the eyes of Mercy Lavinia Warren Stratton (Bump) who stood only 32 inches tall as a full-grown adult woman.

Born as an average-sized newborn who stopped growing at the age of 10, she was a perfectly formed lady in miniature size. She grew up on a farm in Middleborough, MA. She become a teacher, but realized life called to her in other ways. Looking for a new adventure when who should knock upon the family’s door but someone claiming to be her cousin. This cousin offered up a grand opportunity for Miss Lavinia to join his traveling steamship performing show. This type of performing show was not what Lavinia wanted by way of adventure. By a stroke of odd luck, the Civil War interrupted the show and allowed Miss Lavinia to present herself to the greatest showman on earth, P.T. Barnum. Welcomed with open arms into P.T. Barnum’s various shows and endeavors, this novel takes on a platonic love story between P.T. Barnum and Lavinia. Lavinia went on to marry one of P.T. Barnum’s very best friends, General Tom Thumb, and while she was a loyal wife, he was not her dream husband. Join Lavinia, General Tom Thumb, and P.T. Barnum in an intimate look at their personal and professional lives.

A novel of triumphant and heartbreak that remains painfully beautiful. Anyone who enjoys circus literature or enjoyed watching The Greatest Showman should give this historical fictionalized biography a try. Read or listen through to the author’s notes at the end, and learn to accept the humbugs for what they are: entertainment. Check out the audio or print version in our catalog.

What to Do When I’m Gone: A Mother’s Wisdom to Her Daughter

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What to Do when I’m Gone: A Mother’s Wisdom to Her Daughter By Suzy Hopkins & Hallie Bateman (illustrator)
Format: Book
Who it’s for: Adults

This is a nonfiction book written and illustrated by a mother-daughter duo. Bateman has the sudden realization that her mother, writer Suzy Hopkins, will not live forever. Unable to imagine life without her mother’s guiding voice, Bateman asks her mother to write step-by-step instructions to follow in the event of her mom’s death. Hopkins agrees, and the end result is an illustrated, day-by-day instruction manual on navigating life’s up and downs, including everything from making new holiday traditions to making the decision to have children. Despite the solemn topic, Hopkins maintains a lighthearted tone and sprinkles her writing with bits of humor and recipes, including fajitas, chocolate brownies, chili, chicken and dumplings, and curry to cure your heartbreak. Find this book in our catalog.