Staff Picks August 2016 (1.8MB)

Steinbeck's immortal Joad family decided to leave their desperate lives in the Oklahoma Dust Bowl. The Bell family in this emotionally potent new novel elect to stay, placing their faith in God and in each other to sustain them until rain renews the parched land. But, as the hellish storms smother everything in a layer of dust, determination begins to be eroded by despair and resolve becomes resignation. The endurance of this particular family is eloquent testimony to the power of the human spirit. ~ Alden Graves
In 1970s Brooklyn, four adolescent girls form a deep, transformative friendship. Their bond places them in a dream-like, protective bubble, a space where they can be carefree, happy, and vibrant. Woodson's spare and poetic language recalls the beauty and pain of adolescence, the gracefilled period before we must grow up and become someone. I can't stop thinking about it. ~ Cathy Taylor
