| PICTURE BOOKS |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
Fish and Crab live in the same aquarium. They are very different, but that doesn’t stop them from being friends. This is a cute picture book about sharing big feelings with trusted friends. |
| Recommended by Aly
This is a wonderfully illustrated book about a figment named Sparky who loves to write poems. When the Cave of Untold Stories is suddenly on the brink of explosion, can Sparky and the other figments save the day? |
| Recommended by Rachel
A girl and a crow become best friends! Chloe shares some of her lunch with hungry Crow and he thanks her with borrowed little trinkets. Reminds me that friendship comes in the most unexpected places and joy is found in the littlest of things. |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
A boy visits his grandmother each day. They eat food grown in her garden and search for worms on their walks. Their special days are vividly depicted in this stunning picture book. |
| Recommended by Aly
An incredible story about a floating boy who learns, along with his mom, that it is okay to be different. Once he is brave enough to leave home, he discovers you can find your people if you are willing to try something new. |
| Recommended by Ashby
The title made me smile. Imagine a world where police aren’t in charge of public safety, a world where love and community are in charge. The idea first came from a poem by Junauda Petrus following the Ferguson shooting. What better way to hope for change than to have our littlest citizens imagine a different world! |
| INDEPENDENT READERS |
| Recommended by Rae Ann
Ellie enters a pageant to help her BFF Coralee, with Bert acting as manager. One problem: Ellie forged the permission form to enter and must keep it a secret. Friendship fails and a few rounds of putt-putt golf lead them to the big finale in this big-hearted tale of the joy of being your true and best self.
Come join us for an event with Jamie Sumner on Saturday, April 8th at 2pm! Register for free here. |
| Recommended by RJ
Hamra and the Jungle of Memories is a beautiful story in which a girl must team up with a dangerous magical tiger to try and save her grandmother’s disappearing memories. This Red Riding Hood-inspired tale is emotionally rich and full of adventure. |
| Recommended by Chelsea
When Hazel realizes she doesn’t have enough money to buy a ticket, she sneaks aboard the Titanic, setting out for a new life. While on the famous ship, she asks questions and befriends fellow passengers. Soon Hazel finds herself in the middle of a mystery. This, plus the looming disaster, makes Nielsen’s latest historical fiction a fast-paced page-turner. |
| YOUNG ADULT |
| Recommended by Jenny
If you are interested in quirky fantastical tales, this is a great option for you! Taking place in England during the early 80s, this sequel to The Left-Handed Booksellers of London marries a retro feel to all the magic that goes bump in the night. |
| Recommended by Aly
This start to a series pulls you in immediately. In a world divided by warring houses, where myth and magic might not be a thing of the past, Darling Seabreak comes across two brothers who will change her life and the world forever. |
| Recommended by Hannah K.
What would you do if you forgot the love of your life ever existed? Stevie & Nora plan to escape their conservative small town to live where they no longer have to hide their love. Weeks before they’re set to leave, Stevie wakes with amnesia after a fall. Can the pair find their way back to each other against such odds? This heart-wrenching, beautiful novel proves that home is oftentimes not a place, but a person. |
| CLASSICS & BACKLIST |
| Recommended by Chelsea
I had this read to me recently and was reminded how great it is to listen to a picture book. Bark, George is a great read-aloud due to funny animal noises and repetitive text. So much fun! |
| Recommended by Patsy
One dark night, Sam the owl meets Gus, a mischievous firefly. Gus plays some naughty pranks with his lit tail, but finishes by realizing he can use his special powers to be helpful. This is a favorite childhood book which will bring a smile to everyone who reads it! |
|
|
|
|
By Anne Bustard
The April 2023 Spark Book Club selection is Far Out! by Anne Bustard. In 1964, the town of Trotter, Texas prepares for its First Annual Come on Down Day. They hope to welcome any space aliens who want to visit Earth. As the town prepares for their stellar day, a meteorite on display at the library is stolen. When MJ’s grandmother is accused of the crime, she teams up with her best friend to find the real thief in this fun mystery.
Early Sparks for the novel:
“Bustard fills her cast with a realistic mix of friends, rivals, supportive parents, and neighborly townsfolk (many given animated faces by Rowland’s vignettes at each chapter’s head), capturing a vivid sense of the rhythms and atmosphere of small-town life in the early 1960s—inspired, she writes, by a real event staged in the 1970s. Readers fond of comfy tales set in small Southern towns (practically a genre all its own) will enjoy meeting Magnolia Jean.” – Booklist
Spark Book Club is the first editions club for middle grade readers. Every month members will receive a first edition middle grade novel — plus a letter written by the author especially for club members. Makes a great gift for the independent reader! Sign ups are available for 3, 6, or 12 months.
|
|
By Marie Lu
The April 2023 ParnassusNext selection is Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu. Sydney Cossette is the youngest spy in the covert ops organization, The Panacea Group. When A-list pop star Winter Young is tapped to be an undercover asset, Sydney must pretend to be his bodyguard. Will they catch the criminal mastermind in the act while staying alive and avoiding falling for each other?
Early praise for the novel:
“An engrossing thriller that centers the characters at its heart.” – Kirkus
“A lively action adventure full of espionage, mystery, and starry-eyed glamour.” – Publishers Weekly
ParnassusNext is the book subscription box for YA lovers. Every member of ParnassusNext receives a first edition hardcover of each month’s selected book, signed by the author. There is no membership fee to join — and no line to stand in for the autograph. Not only will you have one of the best YA books of the month when it comes out, you’ll have it straight from the author’s hands, with an original, authentic signature! Set up a subscription for yourself or buy a gift membership for your favorite YA reader for 3, 6, or 12 months. |
Musing 