Teen Middle Fiction Staff Pick: The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society by Lindsay Currie

Looking for a cozy, age-appropriate mystery to share with your middle schooler just in time for spooky season? Look no further than Lindsay Currie's delightful novel, The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society. 

When a sudden ice storm traps four tweens, a spunky grandmother, and a handful of bookstore patrons inside the bookstore and adjoining themed inn, a quirky scene unfolds: a man is discovered face down and unresponsive in a birthday cake! Unconvinced by the local authorities’ quick dismissal, the resourceful tweens use their school sleuth society memberships and Agatha Christie knowledge to solve the mystery themselves.

This story shines with a relatable cast of characters that tweens will instantly adore. Merrick is a science enthusiast collecting periodic elements; Archer is the basketball captain who relies on a rubber duck as a lucky charm; Sunny is a tech and video game prodigy; and Miko is a strategic Mahjong mastermind. Alongside Merrick’s deceptively sharp, mystery-loving Grandma Ida, this team shows young readers the power of friendship, critical thinking, and teamwork.

More than just an immersive whodunit, the book offers a wonderful opportunity for parents and guardians to bond with their tweens. As you turn the pages together, you'll find plenty of fun discussion topics—from guessing clues and picking your favorite of the inn’s literary-themed rooms to navigating real-life middle school struggles like moving schools, family finances, and relationships with aging grandparents. It even inspires fun new interests in science, logic games, and classic mystery literature.

“You should read The Secret Bookstore Sleuth Society because it is an epic page-turning murder mystery, with characters you want to be friends with and ships you will root for ‘till the end of time'.” – Noelle, Eighth Grader

Natalie Page
Youth Services Specialist

Cumming Library

Celebrating Our Friends During National Friends of the Library Week 2026!

October 18–24, marks the 21st annual National Friends of Libraries Week, and here at Forsyth County Public Library (FCPL), we are shouting our gratitude from the rooftops for the FCPL Friends and Advocates!

Let’s talk numbers for a moment, because the impact this group has on our community is absolutely staggering. Over the past year alone, the Friends raised upwards of $100,000 through used book sales, memberships, and donations. In fact, since FCPL became an independent, single-county system in 1996, the Friends’ total financial support is closing in on a monumental $900,000!

“Our library wouldn't be the vibrant, dynamic community hub it is today without the Friends,” says FCPL Director Adrianne Junius. “Reaching that kind of fundraising milestone is an extraordinary accomplishment. Their tireless work behind the scenes translates directly into the incredible services, materials, and programs we are able to offer the public.”

More Than Just Books 

Operating seven days a week across all five FCPL branches, this mighty team of over 100 volunteers provides our area with some of the most affordable used books and media around. But they are also environmental champions. Through a partnership with Better World Books, the Friends rescue over 60,000 books a year from entering Forsyth County’s waste stream.

FCPL Friends and Advocates President Jodie Barger gets to see the magic of this organization firsthand.

“The absolute best part of this role is watching someone’s face light up when we help them find exactly what they’re looking for—whether that reader is 3 or 93,” Barger shares. “Volunteering here is truly food for the soul. We’re keeping books out of the trash and being good environmental stewards, but what really drives us is knowing that our hard work provides free cultural and literacy programs for everyone.”

Fueling the Fun 

Every dollar raised goes back into the library, funding the lifeblood of our biggest events, including Forsyth Reads Together and the annual Summer Reading Challenge. By funding bestselling author visits, professional performers, and exciting prizes, the Friends help spark a lifelong love of reading in our kids and teens.

A full house at Forsyth Reads Together connecting and laughing. Forsyth Reads Together is made possible in part thanks to the generous support of the FCPL Friends and Advocates. 

Patrons of all ages delight in the Magic of Ken Scott at the Cumming Library during Summer Reading Kickoff. This event was made possible in part due to the support of our FCPL Friends and Advocates! 

“This summer, we had an incredible 8,113 readers join our 2026 Summer Reading Challenge,” notes Programming Manager Sarah Brubaker. “Funding the incentives for an audience that size is a massive undertaking, but we are so fortunate to have the Friends making it all possible. They even sponsor the festive t-shirts our staff wears to get the kids hyped up to read!”

Celebrate With Us (And Grab a $5 Bag!) 

Want to help us celebrate? The absolute best way to honor National Friends of the Library Week is to stop by their Annual Bag Sale happening this week! For just $5, you can grab a special Friends' paper bag and stuff it to the brim with any combination of adult fiction and nonfiction books, media, and one coffee table book.

We encourage everyone in the community to shop the bookstores, thank a volunteer, and consider joining the FCPL Friends and Advocates to help make Forsyth County a wonderful place to live, work, play, and read.

To learn more or to become a member today, please visit https://forsythfol.org/.

Leslie Marinelli
FCPL Communications Manager

Pumpkins galore at Hampton Park Library!

It’s the 5th anniversary of the Hampton Park Staff Pumpkin Display! Every year staff at the Hampton Park Library decorate pumpkins based on—you guessed it!—books! From classics such as Frankenstein to patron-favorites such as Nemo, the Staff Pumpkin Display covers books for all genres and ages. This year, staff got super creative exploring more 3D elements than years past. Stop by the branch to watch Superman take off, congratulate Rocky on saving the universe, or see if you can spot Waldo.

Read on for some spook-tacular pumpkin highlights in which staff share why they chose the character or book for their pumpkin.

Cathy: “For my pumpkin, I chose the book 10 Spooky Pumpkins because I thought it would be fun to turn 1 pumpkin into...10!!  I always like to use books that feature pumpkins🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃🎃 on the covers.”

Diana: “I chose to create a Charlie Brown pumpkin because I remember watching It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown when I was a kid and still love it to this day. Every kid should know who Charlie Brown is!”

Stella: “I chose to create Rocky from Project Hail Mary for my pumpkin! After being brought to life in the movie, Rocky has become such a special character to so many people this year. Amaze amaze amaze!”

Jennifer: “I chose Oh, the Places You'll Go! because I was touched when my son received a copy of the book signed by his teachers and friends at graduation. Also, I can't draw so I figured I could at least paint concentric circles.”

Kelly: “I chose Frankenstein because I just read Of Monsters and Mainframes and that was a character in the book.”

Katie: “I chose a Superman themed pumpkin because I've been getting into superhero comics over the past year and I loved the 2025 movie.”

Kayla: “I chose Nemo because he is my son's favorite character!”

Brittany Mayo

Circulation Supervisor

Hampton Park Library