Meet Author Will Leitch Tuesday, August 26 at Sharon Forks Library

 

Lloyd McNeil's Last Ride by Will Leitch

When an Atlanta police officer known for his de-escalation skills abruptly shifts tactics and starts charging into hot pursuits and bold showdowns wherever he can find them, the viral videos of his reckless acts of bravery raise alarm bells for his friends and family.   

Narrating his own story, Detective McNeil reveals that he's concealing a terminal diagnosis and hoping the substantial death benefit paid to families of officers killed in the line of duty will provide financial security for his thirteen-year-old son Bishop. 

Back to School Book Recommendations: Graphic Novels About Fitting In

 

Timid by Jonathan Todd

Cecil Hall is stressed about moving from Florida to Massachusetts and making friends at a new school. Loosely based on author Jonathan Todd's own middle school experience, Timid reveals Cecil's inner dialogue as he figures out how to fit in as an African American student who'd rather draw pictures than play sports at his new mostly-white school. 

Author and illustrator Jonathan Todd is a former second-grade teacher and cofounder of The Boston Kids Comics Fest. He says he wrote Timid for kids who feel that they have to keep their true feelings deep inside and don't fit in easily.  

Adult Fiction Staff Picks: Community Board by Tara Conklin

 Community Board by Tara Conklin 

When her husband abandons her for a professional sky diver, twenty-nine-year-old Darcy Clipper retreats to her childhood home of Murbridge, Massachusetts.  Alone in the home her parents have vacated, Darcy fills her days typing and deleting a series of angry emails to her ex, reading the local community board online, and picking up odd jobs like finding lost pets and testing playground equipment.  

Community Board is a timely story about restarting when things don’t go as planned, finding your own tribe, and the unique dramas found in small towns.  

I really enjoyed this humorous, slow building novel, especially once Darcy emerges from her self-imposed isolation and starts interacting in person with the colorful characters of Murbridge, uncovers a mystery, and helps a family facing harrassment. 

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist