Adult Fiction Staff Picks: I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin

 I'm Starting to Worry About This Black Box of Doom by Jason Pargin

Reddit rumors spiral wildly out of control when an anxious vlogger goes offline to transport a strange woman and a mysterious sealed box from California to Washington D.C. 

Unaware that he’s the subject of internet speculation or that he's being pursued by a large, angry, tattooed motorcyclist, Abbot Coburn and the woman known to the Reddit community as GSG (Green Sunglasses Girl) bond in real life while traveling through middle America discussing their differences in this satirical novel that's equal parts smart and silly.

Adult Fiction Staff Picks: Life Hacks for A Little Alien by Alice Franklin - Adult Ficton

 Life Hacks for a Little Alien by Alice Franklin

In an effort to make sense of her world, an inquisitive young British girl compiles additional reading assignments to explain what qualifies as friendship and why her mother is so fearful of the police. When a late-night television special about the Voynich Manuscript sparks her curiosity, she becomes determined to learn as much as she can about the strange artifact which she hopes will shed some light on her own sense of alienation.

Life Hacks for a Little Alien is a thoughtful look at childhood on the autism spectrum. The story reveals the challenges of families coping with parental absence and mental illness. Language lovers and bibliophiles will appreciate the footnotes and subtext in this unique coming-of-age story.

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

Announcing: New (and Improved) Electronic Resources

There are some exciting new electronic resources now available through the Library!

MyHeritage is an online genealogy resource that provides access to over 20 billion historical records. Users of
MyHeritage will have the online ability to review U.S. census records from 1790 to 1950. Other records include British census information and over 816 million public records from the United States. The database provides over 100 million photos of gravestones as well.

FinancialFit is an electronic resource that provides information and lessons related to personal finance. This electronic database contains over 160 short lessons on personal finance. There are also interactive lessons, videos, and finance based games for those using the database. Access is also given to worksheets and checklists. Topics include 'Managing Debt,' 'Getting a Car,' and many more.

The Cumming Library is now an affiliate library for FamilySearch. The FamilySearch database provides access to over six billion viewable images of genealogical records, and a collection of over thirteen billion searchable names. The Cumming Library's status as a FamilySearch affiliate allows patrons to access content on the patron computers at the Cumming Library that would be blocked if they were using FamilySearch at home.

Lastly, although not new to FCPL, LearningExpress Library is getting an upgrade. This online resource provides training courses and helps users explore careers and prepare for college exams. The expansion of this resource provides more depth and opportunity for users to increase their skills and knowledge.

Visit the Library's eLibrary tab to explore all our eResources by category, target age group, or alphabetical order. 

Jeff Fisher

FCPL Materials Services Manager