Book Recommendations

Book recommendations from Woodburn Public Library librarians Mike Jansen and Kara Wheeler.

For elementary age children:

Sofia Valdez, Future Prez by Andrea Beaty

Sofia Valdez proves that community organizers of any age can have a positive impact. After a trash-heap eyesore causes an injury to her beloved abuelo, Sofia springs into action to bring big change to her neighborhood.  Ages 5-7

Dactyl Hill Squad by Daniel José Older

In this delightful historical fantasy set in a Civil War-era New York City in which dinosaurs never went extinct, a diverse band of orphans fight to save their friends from slavers and corrupt authorities.  Ages 8-12

For teens:

Don't Read the Comments by Eric Smith

Divya is queen of Reclaim the Sun, the year's hottest online game. She's leveraging her online celebrity status to help her single mom pay their rent. Aaron is more interested in gaming than becoming a doctor, to his mother's frustration. When the two end up on the same planet in Reclaim the Sun, they help each other face their challenges -- even while they struggle alone in the real world. But when their identities get leaked in a doxxing campaign, Divya isn't going down without a fight... and she might save Aaron along the way.

Gotham High by Melissa de la Cruz

Before they were Batman, Catwoman, and the Joker, they were Bruce, Selina, and Jack: the orphan, the girl next door, and the class clown. Gotham High School is shaken by a kidnapping, and Bruce is determined to solve the crime. But nothing is ever as it seems, and everyone is a suspect in this new graphic novel adaptation that re-imagines Gotham City and its most famous inhabitants as high school students.

For adults:

Miss Austen by Gill Hornby

Cassandra Austen has spent the time after her famous sister's death visiting friends and relations, and quietly working to preserve Jane's reputation. In search of a trove of Jane's letters, Cassandra goes to stay with the family of her long-dead fiancé, and finds herself confronting secrets not only about Jane, but also about herself. Torn between preserving the private details of her life and sharing her sister's legacy with the world, Cassandra must decide which is more important in this thoughtful examination of women's lives in the nineteenth century.

The New Husband by D.J. Palmer

Nina's husband Glen is missing, presumed drowned while fishing on his boat. But since he was leading a double life with another woman, Nina isn't missing him very much. A year and a half later, when she meets and falls in love with Simon, a widower, she feels like she's putting her world back together again. But while her son adores Simon, her daughter Maggie doesn't trust him. Is Maggie paranoid, or has Nina put herself and her children in danger?

Coffeeland: One Man's Dark Empire and the Making of Our Favorite Drug by Augustine Sedgewick

For being an indispensable part of daily life for many people, the history of coffee is surprisingly unknown by most. Tracing its origin from a mysterious Muslim ritual into the everyday necessity it has become, Sedgewick visits El Salvador, England, and the supermarkets and cafes of America in this history of one of the world's most valuable commodities.