Staff Picks: Small Town Stories

I grew up in a midwestern suburb but spent each summer visiting my grandparent's rural home in Southern New Jersey.  Small towns are great for biking on country roads past picturesque farms and woodlands, exploring nature, buying farm-fresh corn at roadside vegetable stands, and spending long lazy days swimming or just enjoying the sunshine. When you aren't the one stacking hay and shucking corn, the relaxed pace of small town living offers extra time for my favorite pastime of all - reading. I still enjoy reading stories about the lives of people living in small towns. 

Stories set in small towns are on display this month at Sharon Forks Library but they don't all focus on the idyllic side. Check out Delilah S. Dawson's Bloom, a dark fantasy about a woman whose life takes a very strange turn when she makes a new friend at a local farmer's market, Jane Harper's Exiles, a mystery set in South Australia's wine country, Olga Tokarczuk's award-winning Drive Your Plow Over the Bones of the Dead, or the Ray Bradbuy classic, Dandelion Wine. 

What are your favorite books set in small towns? 

Here are a some more interesting books with small town settings.  

A Short History of a Small Place by T.R. Pearson

T.R. Pearson's laugh-out-loud funny book is set in fictional Neely, North Carolina during the 1960s. The story features a colorful cast of characters including a tragic recluse and her pet chimpanzee, Mr. Britches. 

Ordinary Grace by William Kent Krueger

Ordinary Grace is an evocative coming-of-age story set in fictional New Bremen, Minnesota. Frank Drum, the thirteen-year-old son of a Methodist preacher, offers his perspective on unusual events that take place over the fateful summer of 1961. 

William Kent Krueger's beloved and award-winning novel is so popular it's rarely on the shelf. Your best bet is to place a hold for this popular title if you haven't yet read it.   

Georgia: Off the Beaten Track by Janice McDonald

Discover some small Georgia towns that you can explore in person. Janice McDonalds' travel book highlights interesting shops, parks, historical sites, unique dining experiences, and festivals in every region of the state. Learn about local attractions in Dahlonega, Ellijay, Greensboro, Helen, Madison, Pine Mountain, and more. 

Alicia Cavitt

Information Specialist