Winter Staff Picks
FICTION:
The Road to Tender Hearts by Annie Hartnett – An “increasingly older” retiree decides to set off on a cross-country road-trip to woo his high school sweetheart (they have not spoken in decades) but ends up bringing along not only his moody daughter but two orphaned children neighbors whose parents died in a truly outrageous murder-suicide. This is a funny book – there is a cat who can predict death – character-driven and well written. Highly recommend. Sara S’s Pick
Seven Ways Through The Woods by Jenn Reese – There are so many paths through the woods – some are long and winding, some are short, some are filled with magical and mythical creatures…you never know what you will encounter! Which path will you choose? This enchanting story is imaginative and breathtaking – the whole family will love this gorgeous picture book. Alena’s Pick
The Inheritance by Ilona Andrews – Ten years ago, portals (called Gates) to alternate planes of existence began to open up all over Earth filled with valuable resources. At the same time, various humans gained strange magical abilities, called Talents. Teams are created to go into these Gates to collect all that is valuable and to get them closed because if left open too long, monsters will swarm out. For Adaline, during a foraging mission into a newly opened Gate, things go very wrong. She must figure out how to survive while those on the outside figure out what went wrong. Carrie’s Pick
Hum by Helen Phillips – In a world of the near future, May’s technological expertise upgrades herself out of a job. Subsequently, she searches for ways to support her husband and two children while realizing how dependent society has become on intelligent robots called ‘hums.’ Davonne’s Pick
Bud Finds her Gift by Robin Wall Kimmerer – A Potawatomi belief is that each of us, coming into life, is given a gift to bring with us. This little volume highlights a grandmother teaching this to her grandchild. Taking time to notice, appreciate, and recognize how things are connected is important. Kimmerer delivers this message in a cheerful, warm story. Jessica’s Pick
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley – The second book in the Firekeeper’s Daughter series takes place years later with a distinct storyline of its own. While fictional, it focuses on the ongoing process of Native people reclaiming their cultural artifacts from museums and other spaces. It’s informative, engaging, and puts the reader in the mindset and emotional headspace of this type of reclamation. A bonus secondary story line provides an unexpected twist at the end! Alyssa’s Pick
The Boxcar Librarian by Brianna Labuskes – Based on true events and set in the depression era, The Boxcar Librarian chronicles the efforts of a local librarian bringing books to rural mining towns across Montana. With her converted mining train car, she strives to bring not only entertainment and knowledge to these little towns but also joy to the families that live and work so far removed from the luxuries of city life. Stephanie’s Pick
The Paris Express by Emma Donoghue – In 1895 a train travelling from Normandy to Paris came to a crashing halt in the Montparnasse station. The disaster was documented in a series of surreal photographs, which Emma Donoghue used as inspiration. During the 7-hour journey, we meet an assortment of characters (many of whom are real-life figures, though some were not actually on this train) —including anarchist Mado Pelletier, who plans to blow up the train with the bomb she carries
in her lunch box. I enjoyed this book for both its historical and entertainment qualities. Beth’s Pick
Kindred by Octavia Butler – This is one of my favorite novels by Octavia Butler. It follows Dana, a Black woman in 1976 Los Angeles, who time travels involuntarily to the antebellum South. She is repeatedly pulled back to save her ancestor, Rufus, a white slave owner’s son, from danger. Dana is forced to experience the horrors of slavery firsthand and must ensure her own lineage by facilitating Rufus’s survival. It explores race, history, identity, and power dynamics. Sarah B’s Pick
The Wilderness of Girls by Madeline Claire Franklin – I have always hidden in the cozy embrace of magic when I am in need of comfort; so why was it so hard to believe that these girls weren’t princesses from a magical world? I needed to run alongside them in the woods. In the cold months ahead, I ache with the memory of such a warm interpersonal connection as the one I witnessed in this story. Julia’s Pick
The Tomten by Astrid Lindgren – The Tomten is an old volume. Lindgren, of Pippi Longstocking fame, adapted this children’s picture book from an old Swedish poem. The setting reminds me of our beautiful area during the winter. I suspect I have seen some fresh tomten prints in the snow and am elated our tomten resident takes such fine care of us. Jessica‘s Other Pick
The True True Story of Raja the Gullible by Rabih Alameddine – Part history of Beirut, part gay man’s coming of age tale, and part love story between mother and son, The True True Story of Raja the Gullible is irreverent, hilarious, and heart warming. It is also the Winner of the 2025 National Book Award for fiction. Ryan’s Pick
The Night Strangers by Chris Bohjalian – A pilot is haunted by a plane crash that caused 39 deaths while he survived. He moves his family to an eerie house where the ghosts of his passengers become more real. A cult-like group of herbalists take the pilot’s twins under their wing, but their motivations are unclear. Is the pilot really seeing ghosts? Are the herbalists actually homicidal witches? There are many twists and turns and a wildly unexpected ending in this unsettling read. Helen’s Pick
NONFICTION:
The Aviator and the Showman: Amelia Earhart, George Putnam, and the Marriage that Made an American Icon by Laurie Gwen Shapiro – A revealing study showcasing the intersection of the lives of Amelia Earhart and George Putman, and their impacts on each other and aviation. Davonne’s Pick
Enshittification by Cory Doctorow – The steady decline of the technology you use every day is real; in Enshittification, Cory Doctorow explains how we got here. Witty, logical and engrossing, this book tells us how the internet has changed and how we can reclaim our digital lives. Sara Shifrin’s Pick
The Salt Stones by Helen Whybrow – With a desire to find belonging through participation, Whybrow and her partner restore a farm in Vermont into an Icelandic sheep farm. With earnest, lean prose, Whybrow meditates on the lessons learned trying to truly inhabit a piece of land. Affectionate yet realistic, The Salt Stones will inspire a search for belonging and connection in any reader. Ryan’s Pick
The Penguin Lessons by Tom Michell – In his early twenties with plane tickets to South America, an Argentine teaching job lined up, and a motorbike, Tom sets off for carefree adventure. Then he rescues a penguin from an oil slick. Naming him Juan Salvadore, Tom’s new friend will eventually transform Tom’s life as well as the lives of all who meet him. ‘Oh my heart!… I loved this one and you will too if you even have a titch of a soul for animals. Rebecca’s Pick
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