HPL Recommends

Staff Picks: Blankets by Craig Thompson

Picked by Michelle N.

This graphic novel, based on the life of the author/illustrator, is very personal and vividly-told story about first love. I could really feel it… also, the zap that such an intensely religious upbringing put on those kids’ heads. It's so beautifully drawn: spare and dreamy, like a gently-rolling snowbound landscape.

It feels strange to me that I don’t have more to say about this book than I do. It’s very absorbing. But it’s also a quiet book. I felt quiet when reading it, and I feel quiet now, thinking about it. Snow. Blankets. Thoughts.

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Staff Picks: They Both Die at the End by Adam Silvera

Picked by Ari N.

When "Death Cast" appears on your caller ID, you know that today is the day you will die.

On September 5th, Mateo and Rufus both get the call from Death Cast, the company that predicts deaths with 100% accuracy.  Total strangers, Mateo and Rufus meet each other through an app called Last Friend, where people who've received Death Cast calls can meet friends to spend their last day with. Mateo and Rufus couldn't be more different: Mateo is anxious, cautious, and shy, while Rufus is loud, confident, and angry. But on their last day, Rufus and Mateo find solace in their shared trauma and loneliness. Together, they go on a final adventure, and try to squeeze in a lifetime of experiences into one day.

"They Both Die At the End" is a stunning, heartbreaking story of friendship, love, and loss. Rufus and Mateo are unique, compelling characters that readers will fall in love with. As Rufus and Mateo's last day unfolds, their stories are revealed and we learn how they got to this day. The novel is also interspersed with chapters focusing on other people, adding another dimension to the story with snippets of other characters' final days. Be warned that this is a tear-jerker, but it is certaintly not melodramatic. Silvera evokes true emotions and makes you fall in love with Rufus and Mateo.

Those who've enjoyed Silvera's previous novels will love this new addition, but it's also a great starting point for readers new to his work (and will certainly hook them on his writing). Silvera is a master at crafting loveable, authentically diverse characters of color and LGBTQIA+ characters. This is a young adult (YA) novel that is perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon's "The Sun is Also a Star"  or Jessica Brody’s “The Chaos of Standing Still” but can easily be enjoyed by adult readers or those unfamiliar with YA.  "They Both Die At the End" will warm your heart and break it at the same time.

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Staff Pick Picture Books: The Grouchy Ladybug by Eric Carle

cover of the grouchy ladybugPicked by Emily O.

Suggested ages: Preschool through grade 2

Published in the 90s by the author of The Very Hungry Caterpillar and From Head to Toe, Eric Carle, this is the tale of a ladybug with absolutely no manners, and the opposite of a winning way. She won't share the delicious aphids that are no doubt gobbling up a leaf (that's why ladybugs are considered to be beneficial bugs), so she flies off in a huff. 

Basically a bully with no common sense, and a cowardly habit of flying off when she's faced with a bigger meaner animal or insect, she meets a series of increasingly larger creatures, every hour on the hour. (Yes, you get to tell time as you go.) Although all the animals are not all what you'd commonly meet in a deciduous forest of the temperate climes, they are accurately depicted, with their salient characteristics and defensive or aggressive postures, from boas to gorillas, to the largest sea mammal ever. 

Eventually, this grouchy ladybug learns her 'pleases' and 'thank yous' and all is peaceable in the animal kingdom again. I enjoyed the colorful collage technique and a unique book design with pages that you are just dying to peak around to see the next creature. Every page features a tiny ladybug in the scene that will be fun for kids to spot. 

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Staff Picks: Good Omens: The Nice and Accurate Prophecies of Agnes Nutter, Witch by Neil Gaiman & Terry Pratchett

Book Cover of Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett

With the new series set to premier this month, I had to read Good Omens. 

I’d avoided it for all these years because, honestly, I’m not a huge fan of Terry Pratchett’s. (Yes, go ahead and pelt me with raw carrots or something.) I just didn’t love Neil Gaiman enough to read this collaboration—and I love Neil Gaiman a lot. But the on-screen version of American Gods was so good, I decided I had to have the necessary background to properly appreciate this adaptation.

And it turns out to have been an excellent idea. Good Omens is terrifically funny, in a style reminiscent of Douglas Adams’ best work: somehow ludicrous and dry at the same time. Basically two angels, one fallen (Crowley) and one not so fallen (Aziraphale), are friends who have “gone native” here on Earth and are living happily among us. But then it turns out that the End Times are about to happen—and neither of them wants that.

Also in the mix: the Antichrist, age 11; Anathema Device, a witch and a descendant of the eponymous Agnes Nutter; the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse; and a couple of misguided but very devoted witch hunters. Hijinks ensue.

There are tons of scenes that stick in my head in a very visual way—but if I told you about them, I'd be like that preview of that really hilarious movie that shows all the funniest pratfalls and sight gags and one-liners to get you all excited, and then when you go to see the actual movie, you realize you've already seen all the best bits. So I'm not gonna do that.

I will tell you that it's about free will, more or less. Free will, and the absurdity of the human condition, and yes, it's also a buddy comedy, sort of. It's got elements of the Hitchhiker's Guide and of American Gods, which you would expect. But it's also got elements of The Screwtape Letters (but less preachy), Lucifer (the TV show) (but smarter), The Good Place, and The Preacher.

Verdict: definitely read it. Especially if you plan to watch the show. If you like this sort of thing, this is definitely a great example of it. If you have no idea what sort of thing this is, this is a good place to start. If you don't like this sort of thing... I still think you should give it a try, because this might very well change your mind. If it doesn't, I'll still shake your hand and wish you well.

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Picked by Michelle N.

 

Staff Picks: H is for Hawk by Helen Macdonald

Helen Macdonald is a gifted writer. I enjoyed listening to the audio book version, read beautifully by the author. Her images of natural surroundings and hawk behavior and her adventures in falconry were riveting and magnificent, and her personal journey was very moving.

I had no idea that she alternates her story with that of T.H White (I was a fan as a child, of his Once and Future King). I'd like to read The Goshawk. I'd also like to read a biography of T.H. White. Her musings on the disappearing vitality and diversity of the English countryside made a great impression on me, as well. Hunting with a hawk makes you into an acute observer of the ecology as you learn to notice everything the hawk sees. 

Anyone who has suffered a sudden bereavement, anyone who comes to a point in their life where they are questioning everything, or who have realized that setting themselves a fierce challenge might be just the ticket to get over a serious bump in their life, would really appreciate this memoir.

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Picked by Emily O.

Staff Picks: Meet Cute: Stories by Jennifer L. Armentrout

Book Cover of "Meet Cute"If you're a fan of rom-coms or romance novels, you may have heard the phrase "meet cute"—a scene in which two characters meet, usually in a silly, embarrassing, or memorable way.

This anthology is a collection of "meet cute" stories of all sorts from some of the greatest YA authors. The collection boasts works from several popular authors that many readers will recognize as well as works from authors newer to the YA scene. It's a diverse sampler that includes different genres and perspectives.

As with any anthology, there are some selections that stand out more than others. Nina LaCour's story of a teen intern at a print shop finding a connection with another girl through an angry customer-service tweet is particularly charming. Another memorable piece is Meredith Russo's contribution: a story of a transgender teen girl, caught in a media frenzy over wich school bathroom she can use, finds a romantic spark in an unlikely classmate. Nicola Yoon's "The Department of Dead Love" is beautifully reminiscent of the film Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, but in Yoon's distinct style. Julie Murphy, a beloved YA contemporary author, has a hilarious story included in this anthology about a dating game show gone wrong. Many other incredible authors are represented: Dhonielle Clayton, Ibi Zoboi, Sara Shepard (author of the best-selling "Pretty Little Liars" series), and more.

Meet Cute offers something for readers of all genres and interests. It includes a number of LGBTQIA+ love stories, and ones featuring characters of color. There is always room for more diversity, of course—I would have loved to have seen more stories featuring characters with disabilities, those experiencing homelessness, and other topics not normally represented in the romance genre. There are also tales of chance encounters, space travel, mystical islands, and libraries. Meet Cute is perfect for when you're in the mood for a lighthearted tale but perhaps not committed to an entire romance novel. Readers can easily skip arond and read the selections from their favorite authors, or let themselves be introduced to new ones.

Reviewed by Ari N.