Kimberly Baker

Cloud Cuckoo Land by Anthony Doerr

If you love Greek Mythology ( the story of Aethon) and time travel, the tapestry of this book will keep you entertained until the end with the intertwining of three stories in one- Anna , a 13 year old in 15th century Constantinople – 500 years later in an Idaho library with octogenarian, Zeno, and on an interstellar ship, Argos where Konstance is sealed in a vault and never been to Earth.

And All The Light We Cannot See (Winner of the Pulitzer Prize) Anthony Doerr

Marie-Laure goes blind at 6, and she lives in Paris near the Museum of Natural History with her father. Her father builds her a miniature neighborhood, so she can find her way around, but the Nazis soon occupy France. They flee to the sea in Saint-Malo to her great-uncle’s home- against all odds, her story will converge with orphan, Werner.

Tanna Ball

Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens

I love this book because it is a great, coming of age story about a girl who goes through life bearing more than a child should. From a young age she has had to survive living in a marsh all alone. A gripping tale of life in coastal North Carolina. This story is an amazing blend of science, adventure, mystery and poetry all wrapped up together.

Sharon Byrd

A Prayer For Owen Meany by John Irving

A Prayer for Owen Meany is all about figuring out one’s personal faith. It’s also about one man’s sacrifice of himself in order to serve a bigger purpose. It starts with a baseball game and a small kid with a loud voice.I read this as a teenager….it’s a comedy with a tragic end. (If you know….you know).

Summer Cozzens

You Better Be Lightning by Andrea Gibson

Andrea Gibson’s newest book of poetry is inspiring and motivating. It will bring comfort for those who need it, but it also presents challenges for some of today’s most pressing issues. An exploration of love, understanding, and standing up for what you believe in, these poems will break your heart and then glue the pieces back together while also invigorating your soul.

Black Leopard, Red Wolf by Marlon James

Marlon James is a captivating writer, and this, the first book in his Dark Star Trilogy, does not disappoint. It is a fantasy that combines African mythology and history to explore the fundamentals of truth, the limits of power, and our need to understand them both. It has been described as the literary equivalent of a Marvel Comics universe. The second book in the trilogy, Moon Witch, Spider King, has just been released, so start here and know that there is more excitement and adventure to come!

Carly Krekorian

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks by Rebecca Skloot

It is a beautifully-written non-fiction book that blends logic and emotion and forces the reader to question what is ethical, in addition to where the line between what is legal and ethical should lie.

Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neale Hurston

This novel challenges readers to accept that certain aspects of life are both universal and solitary, while forcing readers to decide who they want to be and what love looks like to them: self-love, friendship, and romantic love.

Wesley Lacaze

Love and Other Pranks by Tony Vigorito

At its heart it is a love story, or a grand prank, or both really. It is an amazing and hilarious journey that philosophizes about life while our main characters engage with pirates, sea monsters, yoga practitioners, bank heists, talking serpents, and a love potion.

Carol Macdonald

PAL: The Story of a Dog Who Lived Up To His Name by Arthur C Bartlett

I read this book in the 4th grade. It was a book on the shelf of my classroom in North Chicago. I loved it. I spent the last 45 years trying to remember the name of this book and a copy then found it on Ebay. Maybe someone could read it now and let me know if it is as good as I remember. I now have my own copy. <3

The Black Stallion

Again (as my above post) if you like stories of the human animal bond, this is good.

Victoria Macoul

The Selection Series by Kiera Cass

In this world, Kings and Queens have to choose their partners through a rigorous bachelor-style selection process. One girl faces the hardest decision of her life as her kingdom reignites an ages-old war and her family threatens to break apart. Each book introduces a new member of the lineage and follows their journey to protect what they love.

Jen Mechling

Snow Flower and the Secret Fan by Lisa See

It’s set in the last days of imperial China and follows the lasting friendship between two girls who become women with very different fates. I loved it!! And the details about the traditional practice of foot binding were fascinating!!

Kristi Patton

Jackpot by Nic Stone

Jackpot combines a good mystery with a light romance between teens that come from very different worlds! It is the perfect quick read with a super satisfying ending!

Tabb Pearson

Manhunt: The 12-Day Chase for Lincoln’s Killer by James L. Swanson

This non-fiction piece reads like fiction and tells the fascinating story of the capture of John Wilkes Booth, one of the greatest manhunts in American history. I didn’t put the book down once I started reading it.

Michelle Robusto-DeAtley

Conceal Don’t Feel by Jen Calonita

If you love Disney’s Frozen, then this is the book for you. This novel twists the tale of Frozen and asks the question: What if Anna and Elsa never knew each other?

The Five People you Meet in Heaven by Mitch Albom

Eddie is a wounded war veteran, an old man who has lived, in his mind, an uninspired life. His job is fixing rides at a seaside amusement park. On his 83rd birthday, a tragic accident kills him as he tries to save a little girl from a falling cart. He awakes in the afterlife, where he learns that heaven is not a destination. It’s a place where your life is explained to you by five people, some of whom you knew, others who may have been strangers. One by one, from childhood to soldier to old age, Eddie’s five people revisit their connections to him on earth, illuminating the mysteries of his “meaningless” life, and revealing the haunting secret behind the eternal question: “Why was I here?”

Jenn Thomas

The Relic by Preston and Child

Most of the action in this science/anthropology (horror) thriller takes place in an important museum where folks are being mysteriously murdered. This novel introduces Agent Pendergast and his gritty New York Detective friend. Great read, but the movie was terrible.

Jurassic Park by Michael Crichton

You may have liked the original movie, but the book is fantastic! It was cutting edge science when it came out and the issues it raises about ethics in science (and more) are still relevant. The book is well written, exciting, and uses good science throughout. In the novel, nature is harsh and unforgiving like it would be in reality. You know the movie, but you will be surprised by the novel, and you will love it.

Kathleen Trace

Life of Pi by Yann Martel

If you like to question everything this book is for you. It is very descriptive and will play like a movie in your mind. Essentially about a boy named Pi stranded in the middle of the ocean on a lifeboat with a tiger. Or is it?

Laura Tyler

Beach Music by Pat Conroy

This book is a captivating page-turner that is part historical fiction, part mystery novel, part travel guide. It encompasses historical events like the Vietnam War era and the Holocaust; it takes you to the lovely low country of South Carolina and to majestic Rome, Italy. It will delight you, haunt you and surprise you all at the same time!

Rudy van Oekel

Invisible Child by Andrea Elliot

The book takes on poverty, homelessness, racism, addiction, hunger, and more as they shape the lives of one remarkable girl and her family.