Staff Picks

If you enjoyed the 2012 Newbery Award winner Dead End in Norvelt by Jack Gantos, you may like the sequel: From Norvelt to Nowhere. The author draws on his own childhood experiences in western Pennsylvania in these books, which are full of dark humor, mystery, adventure, a bit of history, and an appreciation for the absurd.

You may also enjoy some of his earlier works, such as Jack's New Power, based on the journal Gantos kept when his family moved to the Caribbean during his middle school years. Although his books are sometimes recommended as "guy reads" or good for reluctant readers, they could be fun for anyone from older elementary to adult.

Virginia McCurry

Information Specialist 

Coffee Talk Book Discussion for May

The Girls of Atomic City tells the true story of Oak Ridge, Tennessee, a secret city founded during World War II to help create fuel for the atomic bomb. Oak Ridge didn’t appear on any maps, but thousands of workers moved there during the war. Most of them didn’t know what they were working on until the atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima, Japan.  Based on extensive research and interviews with the actual workers, Denise Kiernan puts together the intriguing story of the secret workings within this secret city.  Join us on Tuesday, May 13th at 1:30 for Coffee Talk Book Discussion of this fascinating book.  No registration necessary.

Joyce Jacobs
Information Specialist

Staff Picks

The Silent Wife by A.S.A. Harrison

The Dinner by Herman Koch

Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Mother, Mother by Koren Zailckas







All of these books have a few traits in common: they are dark, unfold slowly to reveal disturbing acts, and have very unlikable characters.

Mendy Gunter
Branch Manager
Sharon Forks Library