1919 was a big year for the United States of America. The country experienced several earth-shattering events in only twelve months time: The Great Molasses Flood. The Black Sox Scandal. The First Red Scare. Labor Movement Strikes. Suffrage. Red Summer. Prohibition. Each of these events would have been monumental in isolation. In reality, they intersected… Read More
Staff Picks: When Aidan Became a Brother
The gorgeously illustrated picture book, When Aidan Became a Brother, is about understanding and appreciating oneself and making space for others to feel unconditional love and support. “When Aidan was born, everyone thought he was a girl.” He hated the sound of his name and he would “accidentally-on-purpose” rip and stain his clothes. Not everybody… Read More
Staff Picks: “Arctic Solitaire”
Some photographers will do anything for a great shot. Ask Paul Souders. Over four summers from 2012 to 2015, Souders explored the Hudson Bay region of Canada, hoping to take the perfect picture of a polar bear. He traversed the area by himself in a small C-Dory fishing boat and an inflatable dinghy. Despite dangerous… Read More
Staff Picks: “Educated”
How does someone who grew up with no education end up with a Ph.D. from Cambridge? Tara Westover’s memoir Educated recounts her incredible journey from an isolated life in the mountains of Idaho to a scholar at Harvard and Cambridge. Born to extremely conservative Mormon parents who did not believe in public education (or really… Read More
Staff Picks: “I’m Just No Good At Rhyming”
What happens when Chris Harris, a producer known for his work on the T.V. show How I Met Your Mother, decides to take a stab at writing children’s literature? The answer is a book of poetry that will leave readers of all ages (even self-proclaimed “not poetry people”) laughing out loud. The full title gives… Read More
Staff Picks: “The Power”
What would happen if suddenly every woman on the planet had the power to electrocute others with the flick of her fingers? Naomi Alderman takes you on a terrifying ride that digs deep into human nature and how a sudden shift in the power dynamics between men and women can transform society. Set in… Read More
Staff Picks: “You Hold Me Up”
You Hold Me Up is a picture book with gentle, rhythmic text that lists ways readers can show empathy and demonstrate care and respect for one another. You hold me up when you are kind to me when you share with me when you learn with me. You hold me up when you play with… Read More
