On the Shelf

Header Right Social

FacebookInstagramMeetupOn the Shelf Blog

Header Right Search

Friendship

Dragon Post

by Leave a Comment

Dragon Post by Emma Yarlett
Format: Book
Who Its For: Children

One day Alex finds a dragon. He’s always wanted one (and who hasn’t, really?) but being an intelligent and thoughtful boy, he quickly realizes he’s a bit over his head in this dragon-rearing adventure. So he reaches out for help with his dragon questions by writing letters to various dragon “experts” and soon receives letters back. Your readers will love opening the mail that Alex receives which are included in the book, and reading the wonderful, quirky replies. Alex follows their helpful instructions as his little friend quickly grows. His kindly experts and friends help Alex to make the best decisions along the way for himself and his dragon. A grand celebration of letter writing, friendship and of course, dragons!

Find it in the Catalog

From Twinkle, With Love

by Leave a Comment


Recommended Book
From Twinkle, With Love by  Sandhya Menon
Publication Date: May 22, 2018
Format: Book or ebook
Who it’s for: Teens

“In this delightful romantic comedy from the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi, told through the letters Twinkle writes to her favorite female filmmakers, From Twinkle, with Love navigates big truths about friendship, family, and the unexpected places love can find you.

Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So when fellow film geek Sahil Roy approaches her to direct a movie for the upcoming Summer Festival, Twinkle is all over it. The chance to publicly showcase her voice as a director? Dream come true. The fact that it gets her closer to her longtime crush, Neil Roy-a.k.a. Sahil’s twin brother? Dream come true x 2.

When mystery man N begins emailing her, Twinkle is sure it’s Neil, finally ready to begin their happily-ever-after. The only slightly inconvenient problem is that, in the course of movie-making, she’s fallen madly in love with the irresistibly adorkable Sahil.

Twinkle soon realizes that resistance is futile: The romance she’s got is not the one she’s scripted. But will it be enough?” – Publisher’s blurb

This took a bit for me to get into. It was soooooooo High School. The crush, the BFF drama, the awkwardness, the ‘Woe is me’ angst, etc. So very HS, so stereotypical; it made me cringe, laugh, and smh. I would have stopped reading it by like chapter two, if not for Books for the Beast (a YA reader’s advisory conference in Maryland) and the fact her first book got so much praise. I powered through.

It was very amusing with a couple of lil life lessons to boot. If this was a Disney Channel movie, I could have made it through without cringing so much or smh at the mistakes they made. I still would have lol at the awkward moments. Despite all those things it was a great read.

The Indian culture that was in the book was completely natural and did not feel forced. It was just a part of Twinkle’s life, her story. The gay friends felt forced, like an afterthought. I liked the text messages and emails. They made it feel epistolary. The supposed diary entries where Twinkle is writing to directors never really felt like letters. They did not really feel like a diary entries, either. Only at the beginning of the diary entry and when she closed the “letter” did it ever feel like she was writing a letter to somebody.  It felt more like just a first POV novel.

I was considering reading her debut novel but when I was talking about From Twinkle, With Love with a coworker, she said this plot sounds almost identical to When Dimple Met Rishi. Now if they made movies from her novels on Disney Channel, I would watch them all and enjoy. If I was in middle/high school and liked romance novels, I would read all her novels as well. Def geared for upper middle school and High School girls.

Read a High School Rom-Com starring a cute Indian Girl!

 

The Art of Racing in the Rain

by Leave a Comment

The Art of Racing in the Rain by Garth Stein
Format: Book
Who It’s for: Adults and Young Adults

 

This story is about Denny Swift, a race-car driver and rep. for a BMW dealer in Seattle Washington and his dog Enzo. Told from Enzo’s perspective and his belief in the legend that a dog “who is prepared” will be reincarnated in his next life as a human. Enzo also loves watching T.V. documentaries and racing.
Denny adopts Enzo from a farm as a pup. Denny and Enzo begin their journey together where Enzo struggles to hone his humanness and Denny soon meets and marries Eve. Eventually they have a daughter named Zoe. Enzo is devoted to Denny, Eve and Zoe.
Life has many difficulties and sometimes the unthinkable happens. Enzo describes to the reader his life with Denny and his family, the bond he has with each of them and the great struggle they go through when Eve develops brain cancer. In addition, to a surprise and shocking custody struggle of Zoe with Eve’s parents and Denny.
Enzo gleans his knowledge through the television shows and documentaries that he watches. He has gained tremendous insight into the human condition, but cannot understand why a dog does not have thumbs. He does his best to communicate with his family even though he cannot talk.
Enzo sees that life, like racing, is not simply about going fast.

This book is one of the best I have ever read. The story told through Enzo’s point of view. It is happy, sad, traumatic and charmingly funny.
Find it in our catalog 

Quickest Kid in Clarksville

by Leave a Comment

The Quickest Kid in Clarksville by Pat Zietlow Miller, illustrated by Frank Morrison
Format: Book
Who it’s For: Kids

Alta loves to run. She’s fast too, the fastest kid in all of Clarksville and everyone knows it, even with holes in her soles and dirty laces. But today Alta has something else on her mind. Tomorrow she will get to see her hometown hero in person – none other than the famous runner Wilma Rudolph, three time Olympic gold medalist who’ll be appearing in the big parade in town! Wilma grew up here, like Alta . Her family had little money, like Alta’s. But she overcame illness and impossible odds to make it as an Olympic athlete, just like Alta’s dream. Until Charmaine, with her attitude, her uptown shoes and speed to match moves into the neighborhood. Will Alta still be the quickest kid in Clarksville, just like Wilma? This is a great story of girlhood dreams, inspiration and unexpected friendship.

Find it in the catalog

 

 

 

 

 

 

Claymates

by Leave a Comment

Claymates by Dev Petty, Illustrated by Lauren Eldridge
Format:  Book
Who it’s for:  Children

This fun children’s book is recommended for younger children.  It is also available as a VOX book, which means that a headphone can be plugged in to it so the child can listen as it is read to them or listen with others without headphones.

Two balls of clay, with eyes, are transformed by the artist into a gray wolf and a brown owl.  The sculptor spends a lot of time creating them to be just perfect and then she leaves the room.  It isn’t long until the two creatures become friends and then they start goofing off.  They stretch and pull at themselves to become many other different critters.  They look totally weird, with lots of sculptor’s tools sticking out of them.  Suddenly they hear the artist returning.  Oh, no!  What will they do?  They try to fix themselves but they just can’t.  Find out what happens next to these two  crazy claymates.  Find it in our catalog.

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine

by Leave a Comment

Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine by Gail Honeyman
Format: Book (also available in: Ebook, Audiobook, eAudiobook)
Who it’s for:  Teens, Adults

Eleanor is almost 30. She works in an office. Everything is completely fine.

Eleanor lives alone. She is considered to be strange. She has no family. She has no friends. She drinks two liters of vodka every weekend. OK, everything may not be completely fine.

How do you respond when asked: ‘How are you?’ Do you automatically say ‘Fine’? This story lets you give some thought to what might be going on behind the word ‘fine’ and explore social isolation.

Eleanor has a very quirky interpretation of the world around her and this first person narrative lets you see the world through her eyes.  Dry British humor and the other characters in the story make this a fun and interesting read.  Eleanor’s background is a bit murky and you get to discover her past along with her.

I read this for my book club and it led to a really great discussion.  There are plans to make it into a movie.

Find it in the catalog