Readers’ Advisory

Each year, committees of Illinois teachers and librarians select the nominees for the following year's Monarch, Bluestem, and Caudill Award lists. Preparation for the meetings begins months in advance, with members responsible for reading 50 titles that will be winnowed down to the final lists of 20 books. Youth Department staff members Melissa Hilt, Alexa… Read More

In honor of World on the Move, these books take a closer look at why and how people relocate to new places. The Best We Could Do by Thi Bui This graphic novel memoir explores a family’s journey from war-torn Vietnam to America. The author’s moving writing and elegant artwork illuminate how her family’s struggle… Read More

Earth Day is Monday, April 22! Recommendations from Adult Department Assistant Director and Readers’ Advisory Librarian Sarah Kovac Flight Behavior by Barbara Kingsolver A housewife’s life is forever changed when she discovers a giant kaleidoscope of butterflies near her Appalachian home. The phenomenon attracts a swarm of journalists, scientists, and tourists to town. This issue-oriented… Read More

Lola Plants a Garden by Anna McQuinn Lola plants a flower garden with her parents’ help, and watches it grow. My Garden by Kevin Henkes The girl in this book grows chocolate rabbits, tomatoes as big as beach balls, flowers that change color, and seashells in her garden. All About Plants! by Andrea Beaty What… Read More

Recommendations from Adult Department Assistant Director and Readers’ Advisory Librarian Sarah Kovac. Wintering: The Power of Rest and Retreat in Difficult Times by Katherine May In this memoir, journalist Katherine May faces illness, job loss, and parenting issues all at once. Her pain leads her to explore how difficult phases of life can offer unexpected… Read More

These bingeable series will have you itching to stop by the library to pick up the next volume! Flora by Molly Idle | Three titles Flora and the Flamingo, Flora and the Penguin, Flora and the Peacocks Bright, bold, and beautiful illustrations tell the story of Flora, an ambitious young dancer, in this wordless picture… Read More

May is Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month – a celebration of Asians and Pacific Islanders in the United States. Learn more about Asian/Pacific American Heritage Month. Read titles written by Asian American and Pacific Islander American authors and/or about charaters who are Asian Americans or Pacific Islander Americans. Browse the Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage… Read More

At this spring’s A Human Library event, people will have the chance to “check out” people from all walks of life. Readers can also explore these exceptional accounts and biographies written from personal knowledge or special sources from authors that represent a wide range of unique experiences. Between Two Kingdoms: A Memoir of a Life Interrupted by Suleika… Read More

Fall is the perfect time of year to curl up with a scary book! From horror to mystery/thriller to nonfiction, these reading suggestions have something for everyone. ​ The Daughter of Doctor Moreau by Silvia Moreno-Garcia This retelling of The Island of Doctor Moreau by H.G. Wells is set in the lush jungles of Yucatán, Mexico.… Read More

Reading fiction is delightful for many reasons, but especially because of the connection we often feel to the characters. When I read as a kid, I definitely immersed myself in the friendships in stories. I absolutely felt like an extra member of the Babysitter’s Club when I read those books, and I remember discussing which… Read More

These titles are a reminder of the wonderful things that can happen when we are kind to each other. The Day the World Came to Town: 9/11 in Gander, Newfoundland by Jim DeFede On September 11, 2001, 38 jetliners were forced to land on Newfoundland Island in Canada. In an amazing show of kindness, the… Read More

The library's Your Next Read service premiered two years ago, and it’s been a great way for us to provide book suggestions.   The holiday season is upon us, and we want to remind everyone that we’re happy to help with gift suggestions.  If you choose to buy a book instead of borrowing one, that's ok!  Giving… Read More