Book Notes New Hampshire

Ladybug Nominee Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 10 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

If I Built a Town by Chris Van Dusen (Rocky Pond Books, 2025)

"My town will be swanky! My town will be swell!
My town will be prized as the best place to dwell!"

Jack has some great ideas for improving the community he lives in. And who better to describe them to than Mayor McKay! As they walk through the park together, Jack eagerly tells the mayor his plans for improving their town.

And what a town he has dreamed up! The zoo is packed with fantastic, Jurassic, and mythical creatures, the mail is delivered by super-fast hover vans, the health clinic travels right to your door, and a parade passes through each and every week. And don't forget the robots! All of Jack's plans include the most exciting and useful serving machines. But best of all, everything is free!

Jack's over-the-top creativity and infectious enthusiasm will inspire budding young inventors. It's a story time romp that you'll want to return to again and again.

About Chris Van Dusen

Chris Van Dusen was born in 1960 in Portland, Maine. He has been writing and illustrating books since 2000 when Down to the Sea with Mr. Magee was published. He lives on the coast of Maine with his wife Lori and a yellow lab named Opal. His website is: https://www.chrisvandusen.com

Activities & Links

Check out this Read Aloud with the author: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ll4z-AXOJPw
Here's an interview with Chris Van Dusen & tour of his art studio: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yW9u0SbZrao
Check out these activity sheets for the book: https://assetbucketpublic.7169.prh.com/9780/593/324/981/sales-assets/9780593324981_If%20I%20Built%20a%20Town%20Activity%20Sheets.pdf
Map drawing exercise: Encourage students to draw a map of their own imagined town/city. Here's a link to some map ideas: https://www.treevalleyacademy.com/pirate-treasure-map/

Suggestions for Further Reading

Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Imagination & Creativity at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-imagination-creativity.html
For other books by Chris Van Dusen, check out Big Truck Little Island, a 2023 Ladybug Finalist, The Circus Ship, a 2010 Ladybug Finalist, and If I Built a House, the 2014 Ladybug winner.
For other books about imagination, consider The Fantastic Bureau of Imagination by Brad Montague, Once Upon a Book by Grace Lin and Kate Messner or Treehouse Town by Gideon Sterer.

This is one of nine titles nominated for the 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award.
We will be posting information about a different nominee each Friday throughout the summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day.

Book of the Week (7/6/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 06 Jul 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Ghost Chickens: Omelet from the Other Side by Adi Rule (Tundra Books, 2026)

After eating a glowing green egg, aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue can suddenly see that her house is overrun with ghost chickens in this delightfully bizarre and hilarious first book of a new early middle-grade series for readers aged 8 to 12!

Ten-year-old aspiring journalist Florence Fortescue did NOT want to move to the country, leaving her best friend and city life behind.

To make matters worse, Florence is shocked to discover a Minions-esque flock of ghost chickens running amok all over her new house — and her parents are oblivious! Clearly, Mom and Dad need to take their precious daughter back to the city RIGHT NOW. If only she could convince them . . .

Using her journalistic skills, Florence cooks up a sizzling exposé in her homemade newspaper: TERROR IN THE HAUNTED COOP! But when that plan fails, Florence has to enlist the help of her weird new neighbor, two bizarre dogs and maybe even the ghost chickens themselves! --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Adi Rule is the author of Nell and the Netherbeast, Why Would I Lie?, Hearts of Ice, as well as The Hidden Twin and Strange Sweet Song, which won the 2016 New Hampshire Writers' Project Literary Award for Outstanding Young Adult Book and the Vermont College of Fine Arts Houghton Mifflin/Clarion Prize. Adi is a member of the faculty of the Solstice MFA in Creative Writing program at Lasell University. She lives in New Hampshire with two and a half warring cats, a macaw, a magician, and a small but mighty flock of chickens.

Ladybug Nominee Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Aggie and the Ghost by Matthew Forsythe (A Paula Wiseman Book/Beach Lane Books, 2025)

Aggie is very excited to live on her own—until she finds out her new house is haunted. But no fear, the situation is nothing that can’t be fixed with a carefully considered list of rules: No haunting after dark. No stealing socks. No eating all the food.

But the ghost doesn’t like playing by the rules and challenges Aggie to an epic game of tic-tac-toe—winner gets the house.

About Matthew Forsythe

Matthew Forsythe is the award-winning author and illustrator of the books, Pokko and the Drum and MINA.

He was also the lead designer on the animated show, Adventure Time at Cartoon Network, and the Oscar-nominated film, Robin Robin. He lives in Los Angeles. His website is: https://www.comingupforair.net/

Activities & Links

Check out this Read Aloud: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jkwr9sC90z0
Here's an interview with Matthew Forsythe about his artistic technique in illustrating his picture books: https://www.brushupmag.com/articles/interview-matthew-forsythe
Check out these activity sheets for the book at: https://tinyurl.com/ycyzyt3a
Here's a link to a printable ghost coloring sheet: https://www.firstpalette.com/pdf/ghost-large.pdf
Narrative writing exercise: While coloring their ghost sheets, encourage children to develop a ghost character by exploring its personality, appearance, and quirks.

Suggestions for Further Reading

Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Friendship & Cooperation at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/01/ladybug-longlist-friendship-cooperation.html
Hardly Haunted by Jessie Sima, a 2023 Ladybug Finalist title, and There's a Ghost In This House by Oliver Jeffers are some other titles about ghosts.
For more books about friendship, consider The Rock from the Sky by Jon Klassen, a 2022 Ladybug Longlist title, or Norman Didn't Do It! (Yes, He Did.) by Ryan T. Higgins, a 2022 Ladybug Finalist title.

3 on a Theme: Numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 03 Jul 2026 07:33:00 +0000

The Five Year Lie: A Domestic Thriller by Sarina Bowen

Six Thousand Doughnuts by Thomas Tosi

Twenty-Five to Life by R.W.W Greene

Book of the Week (6/29/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 29 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Lady Justice and the Sisterhood of the Crones by Jennifer Speidel (Olympia Publishers, 2026)

The world is broken - corrupt men rule, greed runs rampant, and the voices of women have been silenced for too long. Enter Mavon, a demon, who's lost her taste for wicked souls, and Buluku, the ancient goddess of matriarchy, who's had enough. Together, they call upon the crones - women of wisdom, resilience, and untapped power - to rise up and take back what's theirs.
On Peaks Island, an unlikely sisterhood forms: Maxine, a no-nonsense New Yorker with a rebellious streak; Toby, a teacher whose empathy is her superpower; and Sumita, a gentle soul with quiet strength. As their magic spreads, curses unravel the powerful, and a revolution begins. But changing the world won't be easy - especially when the forces of greed fight back.
Witty, fierce, and full of heart, Lady Justice and the Sisterhood of the Crones is a spellbinding tale of justice, sisterhood, and the power of women who refuse to be ignored. For anyone who's ever wished the patriarchy would just... crumble. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Jennifer Speidel has been a special education teacher for twenty years. She's passionate about building strong connections with students and community, and founded a school thrift shop that has provided over 11,000 free items to students. She lives in New Hampshire with her partner, Dave, and their two cats. Now empty nesters, they enjoy camping with their daughters. Jennifer loves coastal walks in Maine and reading with a cat curled up on her lap.

Join Jennifer at Gibson's Bookstore on Thu., August 6, 2026 at 6:30 pm where she will be discussing her first novel!

Ladybug Nominee Profile

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Stalactite & Stalagmite: A Big Tale from a Little Cave by Drew Beckmeyer (Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2025)

A hilarious and thought-provoking picture book about two little cave rock formations who witness the entire history of the world.

DRIP. DRIP. DRIP.

Time flies for two charming little cave nubs, Stalactite and Stalagmite. Over millions of years, creatures and things pass in and out of their cave, everything from a trilobite, an ichthyostega, and a triceratops, to a ground sloth and a bat.

When you are an ageless rock formation, it’s nice to have a friend who’s always there. But what will happen when the two nubs grow enough to finally touch?

About Drew Beckmeyer

Drew Beckmeyer received a Caldecott Honor for his picture book Stalactite & Stalagmite. He is an author-illustrator and schoolteacher based in Los Angeles. He is the author-illustrator of I Am a Tornado, The First Week of School, and The Long Island. He is the illustrator of Dear Wild Child. His website is: https://www.drewbeckmeyer.com/

Activities & Links

Check out this Read Aloud & craft with the author/illustrator: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lZAO-fFRrsg
Here's a video with Drew Beckmeyer about his research process in creating this book: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-E9LybaPooA
Check out these activity sheets for the book: https://tinyurl.com/y3n4t26p
Here's a guide to teaching environmental fiction & nonfiction: https://tinyurl.com/fpr7yr43
Watch SciShow Kids' video about caves, stalactites & stalagmites: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tp-AGTtmjjA
Check out Britannica Kids' webpage about geologic time: https://kids.britannica.com/kids/article/geologic-time/390244
Here's an interview with the author/illustrator about Stalactite & Stalagmite: https://jenabenton.com/2025/03/21/simply-7-with-drew-beckmeyer-stalactite-stalagmite/

Suggestions for Further Reading

Check out the other 2026 Ladybug Longlist titles featuring Nature at: https://nhbookcenter.blogspot.com/2026/02/ladybug-longlist-nature.html
I Am a Tornado, a 2024 Ladybug Nominee title is another book authored & illustrated by Drew Beckmeyer.
For more books about rocks, consider A Pocket Full of Rocks by Kristin Mahoney, a 2026 Ladybug Longlist title, Rick the Rock of Room 214 by Julie Falatko, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title or When You Find the Right Rock by Mary Lyn Ray, a 2025 Ladybug Longlist title by a NH author/illustrator.

Ann Patchett to Receive 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 17:23:45 +0000

The Library of Congress has announced that the 2026 Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction will be awarded to Ann Patchett at the National Book Festival on Aug. 22, 2026!

The annual Prize for American Fiction, one of the Library’s most prestigious awards, honors an American literary writer whose body of work is distinguished by its mastery of the art, as well as its originality of thought and imagination.

The award seeks to recognize strong, unique, enduring voices that, throughout long and consistently accomplished careers, have told us something about the American experience.

Patchett is the author of 10 novels, including “The Dutch House” (Pulitzer Prize finalist), “The Patron Saint of Liars,” “Bel Canto,” “Commonwealth” and “Taft,” as well as nonfiction and children’s books. She was named one of Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World and received the National Humanities Medal in recognition of her contributions to American culture. Her books have been translated into more than 30 languages.

For more information about the Library of Congress Prize for American Fiction, including past winners click here.

Book of the Week (6/22/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 22 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

In Wonderland: A Novel by Joyce Maynard (Little A, 2026)

In one golden summer, Frances trades her working-class world for an elite Maine lakeside estate―where privilege and betrayal turn into a deadly game.

Frances believes she’s found a ticket to paradise when a wealthy couple hires her for the summer as their mother’s helper at their lakefront summer home in Maine. The vintage wooden boats, the days at the country club, a shiny new bicycle, and a tennis racquet―suddenly Frances has everything her modest childhood lacked. Best of all, she gets to spend the summer with Forrest Emerson, her father's charismatic childhood friend who escaped their neighborhood when he married into money.

But below the glittering surface of Lake Catherine, nothing is what it seems. When Forrest’s wife, Regina, pulls Frances into her private obsession, the girl finds herself witness to the intimate secrets of adult lives. As the summer heat builds, so do the tensions within Wonderland’s walls. By Labor Day, a death will shatter the seemingly perfect family, leaving Frances to question everything she thought she knew about privilege, power, and the price of belonging. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Joyce Maynard is the New York Times bestselling author of thirteen previous novels and five books of nonfiction, as well as the syndicated column Domestic Affairs. Her memoir, At Home in the World, has been translated into eighteen languages. Her novels To Die For and Labor Day were both adapted for film. She is a fellow of MacDowell and Yaddo artists' residencies.

When not running her hotel/retreat center, Casa Paloma, in Guatemala―where she mentors women in the telling of their stories―she makes her home in Northern California and in the state of New Hampshire.

Join Joyce at Gibson's Bookstore on Thu., July 23, 2026 at 6:30 pm and at Toadstool Bookshop in Peterborough on Sat., July 25, 2026 at 11 am where she will be discussing her newest book!

Book of the Week (6/15/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Dominic Bean and the Mammoth Melt by Emilie Christie Burack (Groundwood Books, 2026)

At first, twelve-year-old Dominic Bean is not happy when he and his sister are “dumped” with eccentric relatives on a New Hampshire cattle farm while their scientist parents work on a secret project in the Canadian Arctic. Coping with what he sees as parental abandonment, plus the pressure of bullies, schoolwork and wrangling Harriet (a stubborn pregnant Highlander cow with long, sharp horns) bring out the worst in Dom.
But the sleepy farm turns out to be full of surprises. A developer is trying to buy the Bean family land to build an Arctic-themed amusement park under a plastic dome. Dom’s nemesis at school, Edith, turns out to have a way with Harriet. And reading his dad’s old journal leads Dom to an ancient woolly mammoth tusk that his father once found in the farm’s bog.
Dom learns that his jam-making aunt and whiskey-distilling uncle are in fact in cahoots with his parents on a secret project in the old milking barn ― a project that, if successful, will “de-extinct” the woolly mammoth and possibly help save the planet.--Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Emilie Christie Burack's debut novel, The Runaway’s Gold, was a Notable Social Studies Trade Book for Young People and a winner of the New England Book Festival. She holds an MFA in Writing for Children and Young Adults from Vermont College of Fine Arts and lives in New Hampshire, where she is the co-founder of the New Hampshire Book Festival.

"Redcoats & Rebels: New Hampshire and the American Revolution" speaker program at NHSL!

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 14:26:52 +0000

Mark your calendars! Join us in celebrating America's 250th with our first speaker program of the year, "Redcoats & Rebels: New Hampshire and the American Revolution".

Presented by Mary Adams, staff member at New Hampshire Historical Society, "Redcoats and Rebels" brings to light the role the Granite State played in the American Revolution:

"New Hampshire often gets overlooked in the narrative of the American Revolution, overshadowed by its noisy neighbor to the south. Nowadays, few people know about Paul Revere’s first ride, which was to Portsmouth in December 1774 to warn the patriots that the British were coming to reinforce Fort William and Mary, five months before the Redcoats marched on Concord and Lexington. Nor do they know that two-thirds of the troops at the Battle of Bunker Hill were from New Hampshire. Most people are also unaware that New Hampshire’s Provincial Congress adopted the first state constitution in January 1776, making no mention of royal authority and essentially declaring independence from Great Britain six months before anyone else. And this is just the beginning of New Hampshire’s revolutionary story."-- program blurb

Event info: Free and open to the public!

Monday, June 29, 2026 from 2-3 pm at the NH State Library, 20 Park St., Concord, NH 03301

Click here for the Facebook event.

Questions?: contact Felicia Martin at 603-271-2316 or felicia.t.martin@dncr.nh.gov

This program was made possible in part by the Center for the Book at the NH State Library, New Hampshire Humanities & National Endowment for the Humanities.

Book of the Week (6/8/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Out Clause by Ernest Thompson (Global Collective Publishers, 2026)

What if you could leave your life? Oxton Paris, the ultimate misfit, disfigured and ostracized, years ago left his and repurposed his angst into helping others escape their own entrapments, bad marriages, poor choices, compromising positions. He created Out Clause, providing thousands of Travelers a new life, a second chance, a smoother fit.
The compact, though, comes with caveats: one, a commitment to discontinue all contact with what's been left behind, no texting, no coded messaging on social media, no burner phone calls, no keepsakes tucked in backpacks. And, two, a promise to live a better life, predicated on honesty and kindness, not only to others but to oneself. Could you do that, become the better angel you perhaps have always longed to be?
If Travelers fail in their mission, their bodies will be discovered where they went missing, near a bridge, on a Caribbean beach, stumbled over by hikers or exposed when a glacier recedes, a house torn down, a subway tunnel reactivated. There's a vast network of spirit guides ensuring that Travelers reach their destinations. And stay true to the Out Clause ethic.
Enter a New York detective obsessed with suicides, especially those he calls No Bodies, and determined to find out where they've gone, setting up a human chess game with Oxton Paris and putting the entire sweet construct of Out Clause in jeopardy. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Ernest Thompson has written numerous films, plays and songs, and has worked extensively as an actor and director. In addition to his Oscar for On Golden Pond, Ernest's work has won two Golden Globes, a Writers Guild Award, a Broadway Drama Guild Award and been nominated for a Tony, an Emmy and a British Academy Award. His plays have been seen in theaters around the world, his most enduring, On Golden Pond, translated into 30 languages and presented in more than 40 countries. From his home base, a 200-year-old farm in rural New Hampshire, Ernest has worked with hundreds of writers, hosting his internationally-renowned Write On Golden Pond workshops.

Join Ernest at Toadstool Bookshop in Keene, NH on Saturday, June 20, 2026 at 6 pm where he'll be discussing his latest book!

2026 Ladybug Voting Materials

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 13:00:00 +0000

The 2026 Ladybug Picture Book Award Voting Materials are now available!

Voting materials, including picture ballots, paper tally sheets, as well as an online tally sheet, are available on the Ladybug web page, here.

We will be posting information about a different Ladybug nominee each Friday throughout the Summer and will issue a pdf voters guide featuring all the titles by Labor Day. A post about the first Ladybug nominee will go out on Friday, June 26, 2026 here on the Book Notes Blog.

New Hampshire children, from preschool to fourth grade, will select the winning picture book when they vote in November 2026. The deadline for sending in votes is Sunday, December 20, 2026 at 4:30 pm.

3 on a Theme: Skies

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 07:33:00 +0000

The Vanishing Sky by L. Annette Binder

Half My Sky: Autism, Marriage, and the Messiness That Is Building a Family by Carrie Cariello

Where the Water Meets the Sky: A Novel by Diane Les Becquets

Book of the Week (6/1/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 01 Jun 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Skyland: A Novel by Ann Joslin Williams (Islandport Press, 2026)

When Celia is murdered by a troubled young man from across the street, her husband Henry and daughters Nora and Lucy are left to navigate the unthinkable in their small town of Kittery, Maine. Desperate to help his daughters heal, Henry sends the girls to spend the summer at Skyland Farm, a remote artists' retreat in the New Hampshire mountains run by his beloved cousin Franny.
But the girls, feeling abandoned, struggle to find their footing among the resident artists. Nora grapples with her complicated feelings about Blake, the young man who destroyed their lives, while forming a new bond with a young sculptor. Lucy, the sole witness to the murder, retreats into silence and the mysterious world of a painting above her bed. Back in Maine, Henry battles his own grief and faces his greatest test when he becomes entangled with Blake's alcoholic mother, threatening his twelve years of sobriety.
As the family struggles separately with their trauma, the buried details of that terrible day slowly surface. When Nora makes a desperate midnight drive home to confront her father, their journey becomes a reckoning that will either destroy what remains of their family or finally allow them to face their loss together.
Set against the rugged beauty of coastal Maine and the mountainous landscape of New Hampshire, Skyland reveals how art, nature, and unexpected friendships can slowly guide us back from the brink―and how families can find their way to one another even after the unthinkable. -- Publishers blurb

About the author:

Ann Joslin Williams is the author of the novel Down From Cascom Mountain, and a collection of linked short stories The Woman in the Woods. She is the recipient of awards from the National Endowment of the Arts, the Spokane Prize for Short Fiction, the New Hampshire Writers’ Project Literary Awards, and the Stegner Program at Stanford University. Her writing has appeared in many journals including The Sun, Carve, Ploughshares, The Missouri Review, and elsewhere. She is an associate professor emerita of English at the University of New Hampshire. She enjoys spending time in Alexandria, New Hampshire at her family cabin, hiking in the White Mountains and enjoying the outdoors with her partner John.

Join Ann at Gibson's Bookstore on Tuesday, July 14, 2026 at 6:30 pm where she will be presenting her newest novel!

Dublin Literary Award Winner 2026

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Tue, 26 May 2026 16:41:35 +0000

Gliff by Ali Smith has been selected as the winner of the 2026 Dublin Literary Award.

About the Book:

"An uncertain near-future. A story of new boundaries drawn between people daily. A not-very brave new world.

Add two children. And a horse.

From a Scottish word meaning a transient moment, a shock, a faint glimpse, Gliff explores how and why we endeavour to make a mark on the world. In a time when western industry wants to reduce us to algorithms and data—something easily categorizable and predictable—Smith shows us why our humanity, our individual complexities, matter more than ever." --Publisher's blurb

Book of the Week (5/25/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Midnight Curfew by Penelope Douglas (Berkley, 2026)

Summertime is off-season in southern Florida. Families leave their homes to escape the heat, the streets are empty, and the nights are quiet. Perfect time for a little mischief while the police aren’t looking.
As the middle Jaeger brother, Dallas was often lost in the shuffle growing up. Now a man, he’s prideful of his community on the wrong side of the tracks—Sanoa Bay—and aggressively protective of his land and his inner circle. He’s hungry and ready for a fight.
Callum Ames has a reputation in St. Carmen, the affluent neighborhood abutting Sanoa Bay. The hottest. The most popular. Rich. Powerful. Strong. The one all the women want. After four years away, he’s back, but for all his bravado, he’s got one major secret: he doesn’t want a woman.
Summer is also storm season. Heat, wind, rain…
And a lockdown.
In a desperate bid to impress his influential father, Callum suggests a curfew to hinder their rivals in the Bay.
Unfortunately, the Jaegers don’t like rules.
As Dallas and Callum face off and engage, out for each other’s blood, they can’t stop the consuming fire between them and the outcome they already see coming…
The storm of the century. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Penelope Douglas is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. Their books have been translated into twenty languages and include the Fall Away series, the Hellbent series, the Devil’s Night series, and the stand-alones Misconduct, Punk 57, Birthday Girl, Credence, and Tryst Six Venom. They live in New Hampshire with their husband and daughter.

Book of the Week (5/18/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 18 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Pretty Evil New England: True Stories of Violent Vixens and Murderous Matriarchs by Sue Coletta (Globe Pequot Publishing, 2020)

For four centuries, New England has been a cradle of crime and murder—from the Salem witch trials to the modern-day mafia. Nineteenth century New England was the hunting ground of five female serial killers: Jane Toppan, Lydia Sherman, Nellie Webb, Harriet E. Nason, and Sarah Jane Robinson.
Female killers are often portrayed as caricatures: Black Widows, Angels of Death, or Femme Fatales. But the real stories of these women are much more complex. In Pretty Evil New England, true crime author Sue Coletta tells the story of these five women, from broken childhoods, to first brushes with death, and she examines the overwhelming urges that propelled these women to take the lives of a combined total of more than one-hundred innocent victims. The murders, investigations, trials, and ultimate verdicts will stun and surprise readers as they live vicariously through the killers and the would-be victims that lived to tell their stories. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Sue Coletta is an award-winning crime writer and an active member of Mystery Writers of America, Sisters in Crime, and International Thriller Writers. Her backlist includes psychological thrillers, the Mayhem Series books, psychological thriller/mysteries, Grafton County Series, and true crime/narrative nonfiction, Pretty Evil New England. Sue lives with her husband in the Lakes Region of New Hampshire.

Book of the Week (5/11/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 11 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Dead Horse Soup: Frank Barker's Klondike Gold Rush by Thomas Haynes (Historical Society of Cheshire County, 2026)

Frank Barker first learned about the rush to the Klondike gold fields through his local Keene, New Hampshire newspapers. For months, beginning on July 17, 1897, the almost daily references to the Klondike promoted a story that anyone with the right fortitude and determination could find gold. As a young working-class man seeking adventure and wealth after living through the depression of the mid 1890s, this was an opportunity he was not going to pass up.
For seven months Frank Barker planned his trip to the Klondike, which included finding the right people to accompany him, organizing what food, tools, and equipment to bring, transportation, and raising enough money to cover the expedition’s costs.
With his plans complete, Frank Barker leads his three partners on a once in a lifetime adventure to live out their dreams of becoming wealthy miners, while enduring the many hardships on their two-year quest for gold in the Klondike.
After reading about the gold rush to the Klondike through his local Keene, New Hampshire newspapers, Frank Barker begins to dream about becoming a wealthy gold miner. After much planning, Barker’s dream turns real in February of 1898, when he leads three partners on a once in a lifetime adventure to the Klondike. Using Barker’s own words from the letters he wrote home and the photographs he took of the journey, his story reveals the excitement and hardships they experience on their two-year quest for gold in the Klondike. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Tom Haynes is a Keene, NH author. Previous works include "The Power of Water : the History of Water Powered Mills in the Monadnock Region" in which he was editor.

2026 Great Stone Face Award winner!

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Fri, 08 May 2026 15:42:00 +0000

Faker by Gordon Korman is the winner of this year's Great Stone Face Award with almost 400 votes!

"Trey knows how the trick works: His dad gets him into a school full of kids with rich parents. Trey makes friends, and his father makes connections. Soon, there’s the con, where Trey’s dad suckers the other parents into giving him money for one of his schemes. Once the money’s in the bank, Trey, his sister, and their dad go on the run … until they set up somewhere else and start again.

Trey believes his father when he says no one’s getting hurt. After all, these parents have money to spare. Still, Trey’s getting tired of running … and lying … and never having a friend longer than a few months. But how do you get your family to stop lying when your lives depend on it?" --Publisher's blurb

For more information about this award, visit: https://www.nhlibrarians.org/CLNH-Book-Awards

2026 Isinglass & Flume Award winners!

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Tue, 05 May 2026 15:52:00 +0000

The votes are in and the 2026 Isinglass and Flume Award winners have been announced!

This year's Isinglass (7th and 8th grade) winner is:
Under the Surface by Diana Urban
"Ruby is terrified to cave to her feelings for Sean and risk him crushing her heart.

Sean is pumped to spend a week with Ruby in Paris on their senior class trip, and he’ll wait however long until she’s ready to take things further.

But when Ruby’s best friend sneaks out the first night to meet a mysterious French boy, Ruby goes after her with two classmates, but caves to another temptation: attending mystery boy’s exclusive party in the Paris catacombs, the intricate web of tunnels beneath the city, home to six million long-dead Parisians. Only they never reach the party.

Underground, as something sinister chases them, they get lost in the endless maze of bones, uncovering dark secrets about the catacombs…..and each other. And if they can’t find a way out, they’ll die in the dark beneath the City of Light.

Aboveground, Sean races to find the girl he loves as a media frenzy over the four missing teens begins." -- Publisher's blurb

This year's Flume (9th-12th grade) winner is:

The No-Girlfriend Rule by Christen Randall
"Hollis Beckwith isn’t trying to get a girl—she’s just trying to get by. For a fat, broke girl with anxiety, the start of senior year brings enough to worry about. And besides, she already has a boyfriend: Chris. Their relationship isn’t particularly exciting, but it’s comfortable and familiar, and Hollis wants it to survive beyond senior year. To prove she’s a girlfriend worth keeping, Hollis decides to learn Chris’s favorite tabletop role-playing game, Secrets & Sorcery—but his unfortunate “No Girlfriends at the Table” rule means she’ll need to find her own group if she wants in.

Enter: Gloria Castañeda and her all-girls game of S&S! Crowded at the table in Gloria’s cozy Ohio apartment, the six girls battle twisted magic in-game and become fast friends outside it. With her character as armor, Hollis starts to believe that maybe she can be more than just fat, anxious, and a little lost.

But then an in-game crush develops between Hollis’s character and the bard played by charismatic Aini Amin-Shaw, whose wide, cocky grin makes Hollis’s stomach flutter. As their gentle flirting sparks into something deeper, Hollis is no longer sure what she wants…or if she’s content to just play pretend." -- Publisher's blurb

Please keep encouraging teens to apply for the Flume and Isinglass Committee!

Teen Application Link: https://forms.gle/MRUupeXa4WxNgqYs7

Librarian Application Link: https://forms.gle/3VLKDzaLxtY9NW8o6

Teen Recommendation Link: https://forms.gle/MsTdS3VkirFoH5Yd9

Book of the Week (5/4/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 04 May 2026 10:00:00 +0000

The Chosen City: The Owner, the Players, and the New Hampshire City that Integrated Baseball in the United States by Bill Ranauro (Spines, 2026)

This is the story of an audacious owner, two talented Black ballplayers, and a small city in New Hampshire. Together, they undid almost six decades of injustice. In the spring of 1946, Brooklyn Dodgers owner and General Manager Branch Rickey signed African American players Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe. Rickey’s signing of the two players has been largely overlooked because Jackie Robinson had been signed just several months before. But Robinson played in Montreal, Canada in 1946 while Campanella and Newcombe were assigned to play in Nashua, New Hampshire. This meant Roy Campanella and Don Newcombe became the first Black players since 1887 to play on a professional baseball team in the United States. Just as importantly the Nashua Dodgers became the first United States based team in organized baseball to employ Black players in the twentieth century. This is the story of how the owner, the players, and the city made baseball history together. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Bill Ranauro is a retired high school History teacher and football coach from New Hampshire. In addition to six books, Bill has authored articles in Scholastic Coach magazine and The Forum, a journal for the New England History Teachers Association. He was honored as the Social Studies Teacher of the Year in New Hampshire in 2007 and was inducted into the New Hampshire Coaches Hall of Fame in the same year. Bill is an avid follower of all Boston sports teams and enjoys reading, traveling, and spending time with his family. He lives in Walpole, New Hampshire, with his wife Lisa.

3 on a Theme: Girls & Boys

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Sun, 03 May 2026 07:33:00 +0000

Katie Girl: Deadly Germs, Modern Medicine, and a Family's Fight by John S. Bentley

Mule Boy by Andrew Krivak

The Boy Who Fell To Shore: The Extraordinary Life and Mysterious Disappearance of Thomas Thor Tangvald by Charles J. Doane

Book of the Week (4/27/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

My Sister, the Freak: A Graphic Novel by Dani Jones (HarperAlley, 2026)

From New York Times bestselling illustrator Dani Jones comes a heartfelt exploration of sisterhood, forgiveness, and outer space invasions.
Mary Seaver lives in her own world. It’s not her fault if sometimes her enthusiasm creates chaos. To Mary, that’s what being 10 years old and a huge science fiction fan is all about. Allison “Al” Seaver is Mary’s older sister—and she’s everything that Mary is not: cool, calm, collected, and super popular.
So it makes sense that when aliens invade their hometown of Pleasant Valley, Mary’s trying to warn everyone about the end of the world while Al’s just hoping it will all go away before the spring dance. But when a secret emerges from their family’s past, Mary and Al find themselves turning to their most unlikely ally: each other.
Dive into Dani Jones's debut original graphic novel, a hilariously tender investigation of sibling dynamics, aliens, and what it is that makes us human. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

Dani Jones is an illustrator, artist, and writer based in New Hampshire. She is the creator of the children's book MONSTERS VS. KITTENS (Stan Lee's Kids Universe) and the comic MY SISTER THE FREAK. She loves to draw silly creatures, cute animals, and pictures for kids. Her hyper cat is named Charles and he loves to sit with her at her desk while she draws.

Book of the Week (4/20/2026)

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Mon, 20 Apr 2026 10:00:00 +0000

Bonebag by E. M. Elliott and David Elliott (Astra Young Readers, 2026)

Trapped in a dark forest with his cold-hearted parents, Bonebag leads a cruel and isolated existence. However, he feels deep in his bones that things weren’t always this way: he has known happiness before. Why does it feel like it was in a past life?
When Bonebag discovers a locket that burns him to the touch, and a ghostly girl beckons him into the deep woods, he must grapple with the riddle of where he came from and how he came to be. Only then can he begin to rewrite his fate.
From New York Times bestselling author David Elliott and his son, E.M. Elliott, this powerful middle-grade fantasy will take readers on a quest that tackles the mystery of belonging with high-octane twists and turns along the way. --Publisher's blurb

About the author:

David Elliott lives in New Hampshire with his wife and a Dandie Dinmont terrier. David is a New York Times bestselling author with over 35 published or soon-to-be published books to his name. These include, his provocative novels-in-verse Bull, and Voices, as well as many picture books and middle-grade novels. Bonebag is his first book to be co-written with his son, E.M. Elliott.

Arthur Sze to serve 2nd term as U.S. Poet Laureate

noreply@blogger.com (Felicia Martin) — Thu, 16 Apr 2026 18:45:00 +0000

This National Poetry Month, the Library of Congress has appointed Arthur Sze to serve a second term as the nation’s 25^th Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry for 2026-2027! Congratulations Arthur!

Click here for more details.