Staff Picks
APLS staff members are often asked what books or videos or other items they like. As a rule, the library works with the patron to find what that person likes to read or watch. We have many resources that compare authors or works with others to help recommend items.
Nevertheless, we have our favorites too, and have been asked about them. Over the next few months, we will introduce you to some of them. For the month of June, three APLS staff members were asked to share their choices!
Adult Services - Decatur
Murder in Rose Hill by Victoria Thompson
Chosen by Kelly Ehinger
I am a big fan of Victoria Thompson’s Gaslight Mysteries series and really any cozy mystery. The twenty-seventh book in the Gaslight Mysteries series was just released – Murder in Rose Hill. We have all of the series in hardback mysteries.
The main character is Sarah Brandt, a midwife in turn-of-the-century New York City. Although she is a former socialite, she was estranged by her family because she fell in love with and married a common doctor. The stories are easy to read, clever and fun, and full of life – birth and death and murder.
Sarah Brandt becomes an unlikely partner in solving crimes with an Irish detective Frank Malloy, and the stories weave in the cultures and encounters one would experience in New York around the turn of the century.
If you like light-hearted mysteries set in the past, you will enjoy this series.
Children's Services - Decatur
Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty
Chosen by Bee Gray-Chemey
My recommendation for this month’s Staff Picks is called Bathe the Cat by Alice B. McGinty. It is a Young Hoosier Nominee for the 2024-2025 Award Cycle. This picture book follows a family as they try to get some chores done before grandma arrives — of course their family cat tries to “help” by scrambling the list of chores with hilarious effects.
This book seemed to be very family-focused. There was also an emphasis on the rhymes in the book, which I liked, but it could be distracting to some readers.
This book has a frantic feeling, but every rearrangement of the chore list had me giggling out loud. I loved the way this book was illustrated, and I found that dad’s sheer cluelessness amusing. The family seems to be willing to complete the chore list, regardless of how ridiculous the list seems, which also made me smile. I liked that the author was able to communicate the family dynamics so effectively.
The three books that come to mind as a comparison to Bathe the Cat are; It's Only Stanley by Jon Agee (You might remember this from Melissa’s Staff Pick!) for the pet antics, Dragons Love Tacos by Adam Rubin for the illustrations, and Big by Vashti Harrison for the central messaging and potential real-world application.
I would recommend this book to readers that want to learn about rhyming. I also think it can be a fun family read when having conversations about chores and responsibilities.
Geneva
World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumatathil
Chosen by Megan Dettmer
World of Wonders is the perfect short read for anyone interested in and curious about the beauty of the natural world! Aimee Nezhukumatathil mixes memoir with nature essays, showing how she has connected with the world around her. Through a range of her memories—including experiences from childhood and motherhood—she expresses how she relates to plants and animals.
This book is a light, engaging summer read that encourages you to reflect on your own life and experiences with nature. I loved the charming illustrations that accompany the author’s lyrical, storytelling tone. I’d definitely recommend it to fans of Ross Gay and Mary Oliver, and it’d be a great book to begin with for someone wanting to get into poetry or nonfiction!
*Fun fact: I attended a virtual reading she participated in. She totally brought this book to life!*
