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Rachel's Reviews

Green by Jason Chongue

Yes, another plant book, but hear me out: This one’s worth snagging. A wonderful source of inspiration as well as a solid reference to make sure your plants live a long and healthy life. The book is very appealing, both aesthetically and in terms of the information it contains. (Visual examples of various types of sunlight conditions? Yes please!) Since we’re all at home a little bit more nowadays, why not use the time to propagate your favorite plant or add some new beauties to your current household?

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Green: Plants for small spaces, indoors and out By Jason Chongue Cover Image
$23.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781743795545
Published: Hardie Grant - April 7th, 2020

Why Fish Don’t Exist A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life by Lulu Miller

Lulu Miller writes of chaos, of scientist David Starr Jordan, of the elegance that can come from putting everything in order (be it emotions, milestones in life, fish in jars). She intersperses her own story and personal reflections within history and true crime events, scientific discoveries and hidden horrors. I have raved about this book at multiple coworkers and added it to my small stack of “books I have hugged upon finishing.” It is dog-eared, something I never do (which I attribute to all the chaos in said book), and a book I’ll be recommending to as many folks as possible. 

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Why Fish Don't Exist: A Story of Loss, Love, and the Hidden Order of Life By Lulu Miller Cover Image
$26.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781501160271
Published: Simon & Schuster - April 14th, 2020

The Book of Eels Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World by Patrick Svensson

When asked, my favorite genre will always be “nonfiction microhistory about weird stuff.” And when I find a book that fits into that wedge of my heart, I tell people to read it, even if it may seem a little odd at first. So please, read The Book of Eels. It’s that wonderful mix of memoir and science, nature writing and childhood experiences. There are rituals shared, passed down through generations of humans and eels, sometimes overlapping and always, it seems, tugging on opposite ends of the same line.

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The Book of Eels: Our Enduring Fascination with the Most Mysterious Creature in the Natural World By Patrik Svensson Cover Image
$28.99
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780062968814
Published: Ecco - May 26th, 2020

Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman’s Search for Justice in Indian Country by Sierra Crane Murdoch

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Yellow Bird: Oil, Murder, and a Woman's Search for Justice in Indian Country By Sierra Crane Murdoch Cover Image
$28.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9780399589157
Published: Random House - February 25th, 2020

It’s tempting to say that Yellow Bird is kin to Killers of the Flower Moon, but that diminishes the experiences of everyone involved in said events and books. There is water and oil in Yellow Bird, massive flooding and fracking that loosens the literal roots of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation. There is Lissa Yellow Bird — felon drug addict mother daughter frantic — who hunts for the missing while forgetting about her own family. Yellow Bird is a knot of politics and history, culture and crime, and the years of intergenerational trauma threading it all together. I read it in a day, unable to tear myself away from the stories and memories shared within. —Rachel


Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom by Louis Sachar

Reading this new Wayside School book is like stepping back into the classroom after a very long summer break: the awkward familiarity of a welcoming embrace. Full of recognizable faces and adventures, these stories will appeal to a wide variety of readers (who can’t relate to a lost umbrella or collecting toenails as homework?). It’s incredibly fun to read out loud as well, and I hope we don’t have to wait another 25 years for the next one!

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Wayside School Beneath the Cloud of Doom By Louis Sachar, Tim Heitz (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Louis Sachar, Tim Heitz (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062965387
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: HarperCollins - March 3rd, 2020

We Are Water Protectors by Carole Lindstrom

This book bursts with strength and vibrancy, reminding us of our roles as stewards of the earth and its inhabitants. Poignant in even the best of times, the examples of community and tenacity are good reminders of how connected we all are in this seemingly large world. With appeal to artists, animal lovers, outdoorsy types, and more, this is a wonderful addition to any activist’s library, no matter what age.

 

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We Are Water Protectors: (Caldecott Medal Winner) By Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Carole Lindstrom, Michaela Goade (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250203557
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Roaring Brook Press - March 17th, 2020

Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera

Not only is the book gorgeous—the illustrations themselves as light and airy as a bee’s flight—the prose strikes that perfect balance between lyrical and educational. Follow along with a honeybee named Apis as she grows up and explores the world (not as saccharine as it sounds, I promise). Perfect for budding naturalists and entomologists* (*people who study insects!).

 

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Honeybee: The Busy Life of Apis Mellifera By Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Candace Fleming, Eric Rohmann (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9780823442850
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Neal Porter Books - February 4th, 2020

Paperbacks From Hell by Grady Hendrix

I don’t remember the last time I’ve hugged a book so much. A wonderful combination of history, trivia (like did you know how the gift card industry influenced aspects of the cover art?), social commentary, and art design, all tied together in over-the-top covers and seemingly ridiculous plots. Perfect for fans of horror and sci-fi, this book will make your wish list grow exponentially. - Rachel

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Paperbacks from Hell: The Twisted History of '70s and '80s Horror Fiction By Grady Hendrix Cover Image
$26.99
ISBN: 9781594749810
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Quirk Books - September 19th, 2017

The Fragility of Bodies by Sergio Olguín

Honestly, I started reading this for the promise of liquor, sex, and betrayal, and stayed for the delicious onion of a plot, the slow peeling of layers that kept me up far too late reading. Olguín deftly adds in characters, subplots, and themes, all while keeping everything concise and not overwhelming to the reader. My only regret is that I won’t be able to read it for the first time again. - Rachel

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The Fragility of Bodies By Sergio Olguín, Miranda France (Translator) Cover Image
By Sergio Olguín, Miranda France (Translator)
$14.95
ISBN: 9781912242191
Availability: Not On Our Shelves, But Available from Warehouse - Usually Delivers in 3-14 Days
Published: Bitter Lemon Press - October 22nd, 2019

The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek by Rhett McLaughlin & Link Neal

A creatively enhanced telling of their childhood together, Lost Causes manages to mix dark humor and an engaging friendship in a ridiculous, wonderful way. As Rex and Leif spend their summer making movies and fighting unknown terrors, their experiences mirrored mine growing up (for the most part). Full of heart, deftly written, and incredibly relatable in that early ’90s way, this is a book I’ll be returning to, Cheerwine in hand. - Rachel

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The Lost Causes of Bleak Creek: A Novel By Rhett McLaughlin, Link Neal Cover Image
$26.00
This item may be available from the publisher! Give us a call or send us an email to find out.
ISBN: 9781984822130
Published: Crown - October 29th, 2019

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