Collection Highlights: America 250 Edition

Hello from your Collection Development team! We are excited to share some of our favorite recent titles, trending genres, and author read-a-likes.

AMERICA 250: Easy Fiction and Easy Nonfiction

Rebecca the White House Raccoon by April Genevieve Tucholke

A raccoon in the White House during the Coolidge presidency? Sometimes truth is stranger than fiction.

Sing the 50 United States! by Dr. Seuss

In this newly discovered book written by Dr. Seuss, YOU can join along as the Cat in the Hat puts together a map of the United States of America.

Bald Eagles by Gail Gibbons

A beloved author’s take on a beloved animal.

What Emma Wrote by Ann Koffsky

A picture book biography of the remarkable woman who wrote the famous poetry lines: “Give me your tired, your poor, / Your huddled masses yearning to breathe free.”

AMERICA 250: Juvenile Fiction and Juvenile Nonfiction

My Bicentennial Summer by Greg Neri

Recounts the author’s wacky 1976 family road trip across the U.S.A.

Weird, Wild, and Rare: Extraordinary Animals of the United States by Elizabeth Eakes

Filled with fun facts, this book would be great for Weird But True! fans.

The Declaration Decoded by Katie Kennedy

A historian guides kids through the Declaration of Independence, sentence by sentence.

Five Days at the Hotel Adams by Hailey Alcaraz

Part of the new American Stories for Gutsy Girls series—will it become this generation’s Dear America? And speaking of Dear America, A Journey to the New World and The Winter of Red Snow just got reprints with fancy new covers.

AMERICA 250: Teen Nonfiction

• America Celebrates: The Most Incredible and Influential People, Places & Events of the Last 250 Years by Aubre Andrus
• America as It Happened: A Moment-By-Moment Journey Through Time, from Prehistory to the Present Day
• America's Founding Myths...and What Really Happened by Christy Mihaly
• Alexander Hamilton, Revolutionary by Martha Brockenbrough
• George Washington, A Revolutionary Life by Tim Grove

AMERICA 250: Teen Fiction

• After My Brother Sam by James Lincoln Collier (Yes! My Brother Sam is Dead now has a sequel!!)
• Alex & Eliza: A Love Story by Melissa de la Cruz
• American Treasure Hunters series by Andrew Dare (New series alert!! Historical Fiction aimed at high school boys!)
• The Hunt for Confederate Gold
• The Boston Tea Party Conspiracy
• Hamilton and Peggy: A Revolutionary Friendship by Laura Elliott
• Loyalty by Avi

AMERICA 250: Adult Fiction

• Founding Mothers books by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie
• America’s First Daughter
• A Founding Mother
• My Dear Hamilton

Side note: Don’t miss the collaborative novel they contributed to, Ribbons of Scarlet, about the French Revolution!

• A Girl Called Samson by Amy Harmon
• Harbor of Spies series by Megan Soja:
• Spark of the Revolution
• Secrets of the Revolution
• Scars of the Revolution
• The Line of Splendor by Salina Baker
• Mrs. Benedict Arnold by Emma Parry
• Storm Tide by Wilbur Smith

AMERICA 250: New Narrative Nonfiction Titles 

• Centennial: The Great Fair of 1876 and the Invention of America’s Future by Fergus Bordewich
• The Summer of Death: The Great Heat Wave of 1936 and the Making of Modern-Day America by Geoff Williams
• The Hardest, Longest Race: Henry Ford and the Cross-Country Contest That Changed America by Eric Moskowitz
• Cocked and Boozy: An Intoxicating History of the American Revolution by Brooke Barbier 
• Kingdom of Devils: A Tale of Murder in the Shadow of the American Revolution by Katherine Grandjean
• Obstinate Daughters: The Rebels, Writers, and Renegade Women Who Ignited the American Revolution by Denise Kiernan

Be sure to check out the official Georgia Reads list!

Staff Pick: America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray

To celebrate America's 250th birthday, participation in the Georgia Reads for America 250 Reading Challenge is a memorable way to start! Don't forget to sign up for the reading challenge on the Beanstack app!  

My favorite book from the adult list so far is America's First Daughter by Stephanie Dray and Laura Kamoie. The two authors teamed up and thoroughly researched the background and history of Thomas Jefferson's oldest daughter and how she helped shape the history of our nation. 

Through visits to Monticello and interviews with the staff there, interviews with the descendants of Jefferson, and reading much of the correspondence written by Thomas Jefferson and his daughter, Patsy, a realistic view of life in America during the late 1700s and early 1800s is depicted by the authors. 

Excerpts from letters written by Jefferson and his daughter are printed throughout the book to support its authenticity. Actual events are supported by facts, which help the reader to understand the emotions and angst that the people from that era were subject to. 

The story is told from the viewpoint of Martha "Patsy" Jefferson Randolph. Many of the attitudes towards women and societal norms of the period are highlighted. It is amazing how much Martha Jefferson was able to accomplish in that environment! Thomas Jefferson's relationship with Sally Hemmings is also explored. 

At the end of the novel, the authors reveal any events that have been altered or timelines that have been compressed. This also helps the reader to get a true picture of the early story of our nation.

America's First Daughter is available at the library in regular print or as an eAudiobook. 

Jeanine Thompson
Outreach Specialist

Our Friend Maria

Our Friend Maria and staff member Erica

If you visit the Post Road Library, you will find the entrance to the Friends Bookstore tucked in the corner by the Holds shelves. The FCPL Friends and Advocates is an independent, not-for-profit organization dedicated to raising funds that support programs, resources, materials, and staff at Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL). The Friends have bookstores at the Cumming, Post Road, Sharon Forks, and Denmark Libraries, and they maintain self-serve shelves at the Hampton Park Library. The revenue generated from the Friends Bookstores funds engaging and informative Library programs for all ages and supports staff and patrons with resources and materials beyond the Library's budget.      

We call our bookstore volunteers Friends and Maria is one of many Friends who is near and dear to the patrons and staff. With a unique story and a deep passion for the library, she is a wonderful part of our community and brings a distinct brightness to the bookstore.

Maria immigrated from Cuba to the United States in 1961 at the age of 12. She and her older sister traveled without their parents to attend school in Arizona. Maria has always had a special love for books; she fondly remembers her father taking her to the big library in Havana and how special those trips were to her. "I was always the kid to read all of my school books before school started. I could not get enough!" 

Once she entered high school, the library became a second home. Since she had after-school programs and could not go home before they began, she would spend hours among the shelves. She recalls how welcoming the librarians made her feel and how vital the library was at that age. Maria was often alone until her family returned late at night and the library provided a sense of safety.

Maria volunteers as a way to stay involved with the library. Even though it has been years since she was that little girl coming to the library, her love and passion for it has not dimmed. She loves interacting with the community, especially the children. As a former school teacher, she has a special place in her heart for children and their love of books. She is a strong believer that reading makes a huge difference in a child's life. When asked, "What do you love about the library?" Her response was heartfelt: "I love all of the staff here; they make me feel like I am welcomed. I love the programming—there is always more to learn! The guest speakers always teach me something new!" Maria most enjoys our knitting and crochet programming as a way to keep her mind sharp! She is always looking for ways to learn new skills and the library provides that for her. The staff are very grateful for our Friend Maria and the joy she brings to the bookstore every day.

Some of Maria's favorite books at the library include: 

• The Pendergast series by Preston and Child
• The God of the Woods by Liz Moore 
• Blood Moon by Sandra Brown

Maria is an outstanding example of how the Friends of the Library support FCPL. If Maria’s story has inspired you, you can find out more about becoming a Friend at on the FCPL Friends and Advocates website.

Erica Myers

Information Specialist

Post Road Library