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From Book to Movie

Mon, 02/02/2026 - 11:15am by lucroe

From the myriad renderings of classics like Pride and Prejudice to bestselling authors like Stephen King, there are plenty of book-to-movie adaptations to read and watch. Below are a few standouts from our collection you can read, watch, and compare.

Small Things Like These by Claire Keegan | Request Book Now

Movie directed by Tim Mielants | Request Movie Now

Claire Keegan’s novel, and the movie it inspired, explores Ireland’s Magdalene Laundries, run by Roman Catholic nuns, which housed and exploited unmarried mothers and “fallen” girls until the late 1990s. Supported by state complicity and community silence, these institutions perpetuated abuse. The story follows Bill Furlong (Cillian Murphy), an Irish coal deliveryman, during the weeks leading up to Christmas in the mid-1980s. Bill is a devoted husband and father with a strong sense of responsibility to his family and work.

However, beneath his quiet and reserved exterior, he grapples with inner conflict. Early on Christmas morning, while making a delivery to the local convent, Furlong discovers a young girl (Zara Devlin) locked inside the coal shed, shivering from the cold. He gives her his jacket and brings her to the convent door. There, the girl asks about her baby, who was taken from her. When the door opens, the Mother Superior (Emily Watson) greets them warmly and invites them in for tea and polite conversation, gently pressuring Sarah to admit she must have been accidentally left behind after a game of hide-and-seek.

As Furlong prepares to leave, he is handed a Christmas bonus—a convenient gift meant to ensure his silence. Furlong’s encounter compels him to confront the troubling reality of the Laundries and question whether to adhere to societal expectations or pursue moral responsibility. Both the novel and movie are quiet and captivating with deep moral questions that resonate greatly to this day. As Keegan writes, “He [Bill] found himself asking was there any point in being alive without helping one another. Was it possible to carry on for all the years, the decades, through an entire life, without once being brave enough to go against what was there and yet call yourself a Christian and face yourself in the mirror?”

Fingersmith by Sarah Waters | Request now

Fingersmith movie directed by Aisling Walsh | Request Now

The Handmaiden movie directed by Park Chan-Wook | Request Now

Fingersmith, by Welsh author Sarah Waters, is a thrilling tale of thievery, betrayal, and mistaken identity. It tells the story of two women from different stations of life whose fates are inextricably linked. Set in Victorian England, Fingersmith is narrated by Sue Trinder and Maud Lilly. One is a young “fingersmith,” which is slang for a thief, and the other is an aristocratic lady. Their intertwined history unfolds along the way when Sue acts as her maid in a plot to steal Maud’s fortune. Through the deception and betrayal, however, love between them conquers all.

The BBC three-part adaptation, also available on DVD, closely follows the book. The exquisite depiction of a poverty-stricken, disease-ridden Victorian London fills the screen, introducing the lavish set and costume design that serves as the backdrop to the story. Sally Hawkins portrays Sue with subtle comedic moments, especially when she learns to dress a lady properly with a chair as a prop. Elaine Cassidy portrays Maud with all upper-class seriousness, which breaks as Sue opens up her world more. If you are looking for a straight adaptation, this is the one to see.

If you want to try a different interpretation, then check out South Korea’s Park Chan-Wook rework, The Handmaiden, which changes the setting to Korea under Japanese rule. In this adaptation, a young woman, Sook-hee (Kim Tae-ri), is hired by Count Fujiwara (Ha Jung-woo) to become a handmaiden to a Japanese heiress, Lady Hideko (Kim Min-hee), who is held in check by her twisted uncle Lord Kouzuki (Cho Jin-woong). The class and gender struggles from the original Victorian story are viewed through a colonial perspective here, while still highlighting the feminism of the two women who are initially being taken advantage of but ultimately turn the tables on the men to secure their freedom.

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi | Request Book Now

Persepolis book also available in French, Russian, and Spanish

Movie directed by Marjane Satrapi and Vincent Paronnaud | Request Movie Now

Marjane Satrapi’s autobiographical masterpiece, Persepolis, features historical events and personal experiences related to the 1979 Iranian revolution and war. The story begins with her rebellious childhood in Tehran and then progresses to her teenage years in Vienna. It also explores her return to Iran before leaving for France. Both the award-winning graphic novel and feature film versions of Persepolis share the theme of rejecting conformity.

However, while the graphic novel conveys this theme through detail and dramatic buildup, the film sacrifices detail to accentuate select parts using sound and transitions.For example, her liking of punk music was forbidden in her culture. The book is limited to her dialogue and posters of bands to convey this, but the film adds the actual music to show the contrast between her uptight, conservative country and her loud, expressive music tastes. The film Persepolis stays true to the overall tone and style of the graphic novel, yet its intention is slightly different.

While the book tells the dramatic story of Marjane Satrapi, the film educates viewers about Iranian history. Overall, the film does an excellent job of depicting the historical facts of the revolution while giving the reader more graphic imagery. The novel, however, is much more in tune with Satrapi’s emotions during such a time and creates a bond with the reader that the movie could never accomplish. Read, watch, and compare; neither will disappoint.

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Staff Picks: Beginner Graphic Novels With Dynamite Duos

Fri, 01/30/2026 - 8:19pm by SaraP

Do you have a little one in your life—or maybe a reluctant one—who is still getting comfortable with reading? Does this kiddo like friendship, humor, and adventure? Perfect! These series are all super fun, short and digestible, and just the ticket for kids transitioning from early readers into “bigger” books. The dialogue isn’t too complicated, and the graphic novel format keeps things moving along so kids stay engaged and don’t get discouraged. The first time your small bestie gets through a whole book on their own and feels super proud of themselves is one of those standout moments in life. Each book in this series has the potential to be the magic one that gets your kid or grandkid hooked on reading! For my kid, it was Pizza and Taco, so let's start there.

Pizza and Taco: Who’s the Best? by Stephen Shaskan | Request Now

I love everything about these adorable graphic novels. They aren’t too long, the art is super cute, but not saccharine, and they are laugh-out-loud funny. Best of all, the titular friends—literally a slice of pizza and a taco—find themselves in pretty realistic situations for kids. They learn how to navigate school and friendships together, which, let's be honest, is really stinkin’ hard! There are new kids, drawing contests, agreeing—or not—about what to play, and lunchroom mayhem. Then, there’s fun stuff like trying new looks, imagining you’re a famous pro wrestler, or planning a party. Gosh, there’s a lot to figure out when you're a kid! Readers will love the funny setup with food-based characters and goofy approaches to problem-solving that mirror kid-think in a delightful way.

Crab and Snail: The Invisible Whale by Beth Ferry | Request Now

Aw, look at these little guys. They’re like a light version of Narwhal and Jelly! Crab and Snail are just two pals chilling at the beach. Well, unless they are defeating an evil eel or investigating an invisible problem. The beachy, undersea setting is great for kids and grown-ups who want a little escapism from our frigid Michigan climate this winter. You can plan to take them on your next sandy adventure! Complete with tongue-in-cheek humor that will make you chuckle alongside the kids if you’re reading together, these adventures are fun, cheerful, and not too intimidating.

Sprinkles and Swirls: A Fun Day at Fun Park by Lola M. Schaefer | Request Now

Like Pizza and Taco, Sprinkles and Swirls are two besties showing up in food form—this time at the sweet end of the spectrum. Follow along as these two little cupcakes have fun, conquer worries, help each other out, and learn as they go. These are shelved in the Readers' section at the library, but they are definitely graphic novels for beginners. I love that they come with a “how to read a graphic novel” section at the beginning that explains the order to read the frames and such. My kid has grown up around graphic novels and comics, but it was still a helpful short guide to get his brain in the right space before decoding words.

Baloney and Friends by Greg Pizzoli | Request Now

Baloney is a pig. His name is Baloney. WHAT MORE COULD YOU WANT? You want friends, too? Okay, how about Baloney’s friend Peanut for starters? Seriously, though, these are super fun, with illustrations reminiscent of Mo Willems’ Elephant & Piggie books. Baloney and crew are a zany bunch, and their fun-size adventures, with more than one per book, like Frog and Toad Are Friends, are perfect for Willems fans and anyone who enjoyed the old PBS show Peep and the Big Wide World. That’s the beauty of the perfect literary friend group—stories about friendship duos never get old. It’s time to borrow a never-ending supply for your nearly independent readers to get them feeling more and more confident!

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Staff Picks: ALA Youth Media Awards

Thu, 01/29/2026 - 10:22am by evelyn

In January, the American Library Association announced the most prestigious awards in children’s literature, the ALA Youth Media Awards. There are 18 awards, which you can learn about here, but we’re going to highlight the top three: Caldecott, Newbery, and Printz. You can browse the catalog to look for the recent winners. If you are interested in exploring the history of these awards, visit us at the Downtown Library! In the Kids’ Room, you will find a non-circulating historical collection of the winners of these prizes.

Fireworks by Matthew Burgess, illustrated by Cátia Chien | Request Now

The Randolph Caldecott Medal is awarded to the children’s book with the best illustrations for the year. Traditionally, it is given to a picture book, although on occasion, a graphic novel wins. This year’s winner is the Fourth of July celebration Fireworks, written by Matthew Burgess with illustrations by Cátia Chien. Her mixed-media illustrations follow the day of two children in a city, leading up to the night where they will watch fireworks from their rooftop. The pictures are bright and dazzling with colors of hot pink and bright yellow set against a deep blue sky. This book will make anyone excited for the next hot summer night when the sky fills with fireworks.

All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson | Request Now

The John Newbery Medal is for the best writing in children’s literature. Although there are no restrictions on the book genre, this book is usually awarded to a fiction book aimed at elementary school kids. This year, All the Blues in the Sky by Renée Watson, a previous Newbery Honoree for 2017’s Piecing Me Together, is the winner. A novel in verse, All the Blues in the Sky, traces the story of Sage, an aspiring pilot living in Harlem, whose best friend is hit by a drunk driver on Sage’s 13th birthday. Sage blames herself for the death, and this book winds its way through her experiences in her after-school grief group. It’s a beautiful exploration of love, sadness, and what it’s like to miss someone every day. If you are looking for a book that will make you cry and provide some hope, this is the one.

Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith | Request Now

The Michael L. Printz Award is for the best book for young adults and is a relative newcomer to the Youth Media Awards. It was first awarded in 2000, as opposed to when Newbery was first awarded in 1921 and Caldecott in 1937. This year, the anthology Legendary Frybread Drive-In: Intertribal Stories, edited by Cynthia Leitich Smith, is the winner. Legendary Frybread contains 17 tribal stories. All of the stories take place in part at Sandy June’s drive-in diner, where every teen receives unique guidance and love from their elders.

One of my favorite stories is the fourth, “Mvskoke Joy,” by Marcella Bell. This story takes place in a somewhat science fiction-inspired version of Sandy June’s, staffed by Sarah Rector. The story follows a teen content creator’s love life and the story of the Creek Freedmen. The Creek Freedmen are descendants of Africans who were enslaved by the Muscogee people. It’s a brief, wonderfully complex explanation of legacy. If you like this book, check out the editor’s collection of stories for younger readers, Ancestor Approved, set at the Dance for Mother Earth Powwow, which happens annually in Ann Arbor! And of course, be sure to attend the Powwow on March 28-29 at Skyline High School.

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Staff Picks: Award-Nominated, Winning, and Buzzy Movies to Watch Now

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 3:35pm by erin

It’s the time of year when all the greatest movies from 2025 get buzzed about, nominated, and sometimes win! Unfortunately, not as many movies make it to DVD or Blu-ray, so you have to spend time hunting down the correct streaming services! Save yourself some time and check out hot titles, and some a little more under the radar, and expand your watching this season!

Black Bag | Request DVD or Request Blu-ray

Another thriller from director Steven Soderbergh, Black Bag, is a gripping spy drama about legendary intelligence agents George Woodhouse and his beloved wife, Kathryn. When Kathryn is suspected of betraying the nation, George faces the ultimate test of loyalty to his marriage or his country. Starring Cate Blanchett, Michael Fassbender, and Pierce Brosnan, this film is full of delicious twists and dramatic turns!

Bugonia | Request DVD or Request Blu-ray

Check the Express Shelf for DVD and Blu-ray copies not filled by holds.

Bugonia is a dark sci-fi comedy about two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. This is the fourth film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring actress Emma Stone. If you haven't seen the first three films she made with Lanthimos, you can check them out now: The Favourite (DVD or Blu-ray), Poor Things (DVD or Blu-ray), and Kinds of Kindness (DVD or Blu-ray).

Eddington | Request Blu-ray

Check the Express Shelf for Blu-ray copies not filled by holds.

Eddington is Ari Aster’s darkly comedic, genre-bending movie set during the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s about a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayor that sparks a powder keg as neighbor is pitted against neighbor in Eddington, New Mexico. Eddington stars Joaquin Phoenix, Emma Stone, Pedro Pascal, and Austin Butler.

F1 | Request DVD or Request Blu-ray

If you like cars, action, and lots of amazing effects and stunts, then F1 is for you! F1 has been nominated for Best Cinematography, Visual Effects, Box Achievement, and Outstanding Stunts! Sonny Hayes (Brad Pitt) was the golden boy in the 1990s in Formula 1 until an accident on the track. Thirty years later, his former teammate Ruben Cervantes (Javier Bardem) convinces him to return and drive alongside ace rookie Joshua Pearce (Damson Idris) for one last shot at being the best in the world. Sonny’s past catches up with him, and he finds that the road to redemption is not something you can travel alone.

One of Them Days | Request DVD

Nominated for several Independent Spirit Awards and NAACP Image Awards for Best Feature, Screenplay, Lead Performance, and Breakthrough Performance. One of Them Days is about best friends and roommates, Dreux (Keke Palmer) and Alyssa (SZA). When Alyssa realizes her boyfriend has blown their rent money, the friends find themselves going to extremes in a race against the clock to avoid eviction and prevent ruining their friendship!

Sinners | Request DVD or Request Blu-ray

A historical horror movie with a stupendous soundtrack and a standout performance, both played by Michael B. Jordan. Sinners is about twin brothers wanting to leave their troubled lives behind. When they return to their hometown to start over, they discover that an even greater evil awaits them.

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Staff Picks: Travel Outside Your Comfort Zone

Mon, 01/19/2026 - 11:51am by SaraP

For fans of Mary Roach or Neil deGrasse Tyson’s endlessly interesting and eminently readable nonfiction books, these unusual “travel” guides will scratch that itch in surprising ways. Find a destination, or maybe the journey is the point, that makes you a tad uncomfortable, but oh so terribly engaged. Don’t worry, there’s a lot of fun to be had alongside all the bits that make you squirm!

The Passenger: How a Travel Writer Learned to Love Cruises & Other Lies from a Sinking Ship by Chaney Kwak | Request Now

Have you ever wondered how a colossal modern cruise ship might handle an engine failure and/or a nasty bit of weather at sea? What is it like to drift aimlessly aboard a vessel that big with hundreds, even thousands, of people when disaster strikes? NO? Well, my morbid curiosity sure did, and lo and behold, I found the perfect book in travel writer Chaney Kwak’s account of peril at sea aboard the Viking Sky! You'll be glad you weren't there, but just like you gobbled up all those books about the Titanic as a kid, you'll be absolutely delighted to read about it from the safety of your couch!

A Traveler’s Guide to the End of the World: Tales of Fire, Wind, and Water by David Gessner | Request Now

David Gessner asks numerous experts what they think it will be like living on this planet in about 40 years, when his daughter will be the age he is now. While the answers and the topic itself, climate change, can be a tough pill to swallow, Gessner’s approach here is riveting, and weirdly, easy to read. No stats-based wallopings, no best or worst-case scenarios, or splitting hairs over how many fractions of a degree of increased temperature will lead to which version. Instead, we get the everyday details that scientists actually think about when considering the realities of life in the U.S. in 2060-something. Is it bleak? Sure! Can we still have fun while exploring this future country? Might as well!

From Here to Eternity: Traveling the World to Find Good Death by Caitlin Doughty | Request Now

If you enjoyed super cool, gross, but still super cool reads like Stiff or Packing for Mars by Mary Roach, then From Here to Eternity by Caitlin Doughty is right up your alley! Doughty already revealed, with warmth and humor, the business of crematories in her 2014 memoir Smoke Gets in Your Eyes. Perhaps even more interesting, though, are Doughty’s global travels, which give a post-mortem on death rituals around the world. What she shares is full of heart, surprise, and even hilarity. Some of the rituals described will shock American sensibilities—a trigger list abounds—but the journey is both intimate and epic. The moments of tenderness and existential release are well worth the bumpy stretches of road. If only more books pulled back the curtain to expose different approaches to death, mourning, and the great send-off that everyone gets one way or another. It’s surprisingly comforting to dispel mystery and taboo.

100 Places to See After You Die: A Travel Guide to the Afterlife by Ken Jennings | Request Now

Let’s wrap things up with a killer spin on travel guides that actually serves as an interesting, easy foray into mythology, religion, history, and culture. Ken Jennings’ tongue-in-cheek tour of the afterlife and its variations around the world is ultimately a light-hearted philosophical and historic romp ‘round the globe with beautiful destinations such as Tian (China), Qudlivun (Inuit Alaska, Canada, and Greenland), and Aaru (Ancient Egypt). His thorough research points out hellish pitfalls to avoid, if possible, and tips on traversing them if you must. If you like Jennings’ fun, quirky style, you should also check out Maphead: Charting the Wide, Weird World of Geography Wonks.

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Staff Picks: Great Books from 2025 You Might Have Missed

Sat, 01/17/2026 - 11:37am by emjane

Countless amazing and meaningful books come out every year, and it is impossible to read them all. Maybe you missed hearing about a title. Maybe you peeped at the hold-list and thought, “Another time.” That time is now: here are four great books that came out in 2025 that are worth circling back for!

Maya & Natasha by Elyse Durham | Request Now

There’s no question that twins Maya and Natasha were born to dance. Abandoned by their mother, a prima ballerina at the Kirov Ballet, the girls were essentially raised at the Vaganova Ballet Academy. Until their senior year, the two were seen as two halves of one whole. But as the year unfolds, and the two find themselves competing for their future, a rift forms and widens, and they start to build lives of their own. While I’m not typically a reader of historical fiction, I was fascinated by immersing myself in Russia during the Cold War. Though a novel, Maya & Natasha is well-researched, containing many “real-life” people and events. Seeing it all through the lens of dance helped keep me engaged. Tense sibling dynamics also mean the plot had personal stakes, as well as political ones.

Back After This by Linda Holmes | Request Now

Podcast producer Cecily knows it’s hard for a person to find success in her industry. So when she’s allowed to help further secure both her and her best work friend’s jobs, she reluctantly agrees to work on the other side of the microphone. Cecily partners with Eliza, an influencer matchmaker, as the single guinea pig whom Eliza will set up on countless dates. That means when she has an extraordinary meet-cute with Will, she has to set their chemistry aside. After all, she has a job to do. And that job is to date. And record her thoughts on said dates for the world to hear. Holmes’ romances, Evvie Drake Starts Over and Flying Solo, are also great fits for people on the Emily Henry, or EmHen, train looking for similar stories with well-developed leads that value friendship, identity, and romance.

The Unveiling by Quan Barry | Request Now

Striker doesn’t fit the type—rich, white—that fills her Antarctic cruise, but when she has the opportunity to take one for her job as a film location scout, she takes it. When the unexpected happens on a kayak excursion off the ship, Striker and a small group of her shipmates find themselves fending for themselves in the vast Antarctic waters. The situation is further complicated because Striker did not take the medication that prevents her from having delusions that day. This is a “go-along-for-the-ride” book; I don’t think you’ll be able to determine what is really happening. After all, Striker’s not really sure what’s happening either. I was surprised to see this fresh take on an unreliable narrator filed under horror, as it doesn’t fit the typical horror beats. But the more I thought about it, the tag is fitting. The situation is horrifying, and it’s an otherwise hard-to-categorize book. But its genre-defying eeriness is what keeps me thinking about it, even though it’s been a few months since I read it.

The Float Test by Lynn Steger Strong | Request Now

Following the death of their mother, the four Kenner siblings—Jenn, Fred, Jude, and George—find themselves forced into each other’s lives in a way they haven’t been since childhood. It turns out they each have their own struggles: Jenn is not feeling fulfilled as a mother of six. Fred, a novelist, finds herself unable to write and make a living. George, the “baby” of the family, has separated from his wife and is hampered by his immaturity as he moves back in with his widowed father. Despite her role as narrator, we know less about the second-youngest, Jude, though there is driving tension in her estrangement from Fred. This book is more about who the Kenners are and their relationships with one another. It’s less about any driving plot, despite the gun found early in the book that threatens to serve a Chekhovian role. Read it for the dynamics and the writing, not to find out “what happens next.”

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Staff Picks: Love Is in the Air

Mon, 01/12/2026 - 11:05am by ohheyitselle

You know we couldn’t let Valentine’s Day come up without suggesting some ROMANCE READS!

It Had to Be Him by Adib Khorram | Request Now

When Ramin Yazdani’s marriage proposal is rejected because he is “too boring,” he impulsively and drunkenly books an extended vacation in Italy. His plan to transform in Italy into Interesting-And-Not-Boring Ramin is immediately thwarted when he runs into his old high school friend, Noah Bartlett. Noah finds himself in Italy on a fact-finding trip to see if his 9-year-old son wants to move to Italy with Noah's ex-wife or if he would rather stay in Kansas City with Noah.

Ramin hasn’t seen Noah in 20 years, but remembers Noah’s surprising kindness in high school. He was a popular wrestler who pointedly defended Ramin from being bullied for being chubby and Iranian. The two have an immediate attraction to one another as they continue running into each other in Italy. Surely, the two wouldn’t FALL IN LOVE.

Spoiler alert: They fall in love, but if you’re reading a romance book, you likely know that already. Adib Khorram expertly writes about two men who deserve uncomplicated, steady, and devoted love and provides the reader with severe wanderlust. The only thing better than reading this steamy second-chance romance would be reading it in Italy!

Out on a Limb by Hannah Bonam-Young | Request Now

This is not a spoiler by any means, but the biggest sell I could give for Out on a Limb is the surprise pregnancy trope, which I usually do not like AT ALL. With that being said, Hannah Bonam-Young does it so well and thoughtfully that I couldn’t help but love this book! Winnifred “Win” McNulty and Bo Durand find an immediate spark at a mutual friend’s Halloween party while bonding over their limb-difference-inspired costumes.

One thing leads to another, and Win finds herself pregnant after a one-night stand. Win decides to keep the baby and is ready to raise it alone, but is surprised by how excited Bo is with the news and how involved he wants to be. The chemistry between them remains palpable as they decide to be friends and co-parent. As they get to know one another throughout the pregnancy, Bo and Win’s feelings start to develop for one another. This book is gentle, thoughtful, sensitive, spicy, and funny throughout. You can’t help but to fall in love with these characters as they fall in love with one another.

Don't Want You Like a Best Friend by Emma R. Alban | Request Now

This lightly spicy regency romance follows Miss Elizabeth “Beth” Demeroven as she enters into her first season with a goal: to find a match and save her and her widowed mother from financial ruin. During her first ball, Beth is saved from the attention of an old nobleman by Lady Guinevere “Gwen” Bertram and her widower father. Both Gwen and her father are on the market, but they are financially stable enough that neither is actively searching for a match.

Beth and Gwen quickly become close, only to realize Beth’s mother and Gwen’s father were once sweet on each other. The two concoct a plan to get their parents to fall back in love and work towards making it a reality, but their parents aren’t so easily swayed, and the two young women start to fall for each other. Things become complicated as the end of the season approaches, and Beth must return to her original goal—save her family. Emma R. Alban’s debut is a worthwhile slow burn filled with political insights into the Victorian marriage market. The charming heroines fuel this Parent-Trap-meets-Bridgerton-esque novel, including complicated hoop skirts and all.

The Neighbor Favor by Kristina Forest | Request Now

Ever since she read The Elves of Ceradon by the pseudonymous N.R. Strickland as a child, Lily Greene’s dream job is to edit children’s fantasy books featuring Black characters. The aforementioned, little-known book is out of print, but Lily needs answers to the cliffhanger that has been plaguing her since her youth. On a whim, Lily emails Strickland and is shocked when he responds. Their correspondence grows increasingly personal until he ghosts her. Months later, Lily needs a date to her sister’s wedding, and she tries to focus her attention on her “fine as hell” neighbor, Nick.

Nick Brown thought he’d put his one-hit bookish wonder, The Elves of Ceradon, behind him, but when his agent strikes a major deal years later for two more books, Nick has to scramble to continue where his story left off. At the same time, he tries to protect his anonymity from Lily Greene, a fan of his work who slowly became his crush. While Nick gets closer to his cute new neighbor, Lily, his worlds collide.

This bookish romance gives strong You’ve Got Mail vibes while Nick struggles to either disclose the truth or distance himself. Kristina Forest thoughtfully portrays characters who work on improving their self-esteem and setting boundaries. She also provides realistic portrayals of complicated family and friends dynamics as our two bookish lovebirds fall for one another.

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Staff Picks: Ann Arbor Folk Fest Favorites

Tue, 01/06/2026 - 3:13pm by bunkleyj@aadl.org

The Ann Arbor Folk Festival has long been a winter gathering place for music rooted in storytelling, tradition, and quiet revelation. Each year, it brings together artists who stretch the definition of folk, blending blues, soul, global influences, and experimental sounds into something deeply human. This year’s lineup continues that tradition, highlighting voices that honor where folk music has been while pushing it somewhere new.

Jon Muq, Flying Away | Request Now

Jon Muq’s Flying Away is a quietly stunning debut, the kind of record that feels both feather-light and deeply rooted, carried by his unmistakable voice—soft, elastic, and full of luminous vulnerability. The album drifts between folk, soul, and dream-pop warmth, but never feels like it’s trying on genres; instead, every song moves with the ease of someone following their own internal compass. Muq writes with a gentle wisdom, letting simple phrases land with emotional weight, and the arrangements give his melodies room to glow—acoustic guitars, airy percussion, and subtle harmonies rising and falling like breath. Flying Away is less about big gestures and more about atmosphere, connection, and the quiet beauty of perspective, marking Muq as an artist capable of turning small moments into something tender and unforgettable.

Greensky Bluegrass, XXV | Request Now

Greensky Bluegrass’ XXV is a warm, lived-in celebration of the band’s 25 years together. It’s a collection of reimagined songs that feel less like retreads and more like cherished stories retold with deeper color and confidence. Instead of trying to overhaul their past, the band leans into the richness time has given their catalog: harmonies settling in like old friends, instrumental interplay that moves with unspoken ease, and guest appearances that blend naturally into the band’s communal spirit. Each track carries the weight of years on the road, from the jubilance of revisited favorites to the quieter, more reflective moments that reveal how much Greensky has grown as storytellers. XXV plays like a musical scrapbook—warm, textured, and full of heart—proof that the band isn’t just looking back, but showing how beautifully their music continues to evolve.

The Crane Wives, Foxlore | Request Now

The Crane Wives’ Foxlore is a darkly vibrant, harmony-rich folk-rock album that marries mythic storytelling with raw emotional urgency, weaving tales of desire, danger, and transformation into a sound that feels both intimate and explosive. The band’s trademark vocal blend—full-throated, haunting, and perfectly interlocked—drives the record forward like a force of nature. The arrangements also strike a powerful balance between delicate acoustic textures and pulsing, percussive intensity. Lyrically, Foxlore walks the line between fable and confession, allowing each song to feel like its own miniature legend, steeped in imagery of beasts, longing, and self-reckoning. It’s an album that grows teeth as it goes, delivering emotional clarity one moment and wildfire energy the next, all while showcasing The Crane Wives’ rare ability to make folk music feel fiercely alive and emotionally cinematic.

Ryan Montbleau, Woodstock Sessions | Request Now

This year’s Ann Arbor Folk Fest MC is singer-songwriter Ryan Montbleau, an artist whose warmth and musical intelligence make him a natural guide for the weekend. His 2018 release Woodstock Sessions, recorded in December 2017 at Applehead Recording in Saugerties, New York, captures Montbleau performing in front of a live audience alongside folk duo Tall Heights. The album showcases the raw strength of his songwriting, presenting his catalog in clear, intimate acoustic form that highlights melody, lyric, and emotional nuance. Applause, banter, and room noise remain intact, lending the recordings an inviting, communal feel without ever distracting from the songs themselves. It’s a document of an artist deeply at ease with his craft—and one that reflects the same generosity and connection he brings to the stage as an MC.

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Staff Picks: Fresh Fiction from Black Authors

Mon, 01/05/2026 - 2:40pm by SaraP

These relatively recent and always fresh fiction titles from some seriously talented African-American authors are the perfect antidote to a stale reading list. It’s a brand new year, so put your resolution to read a “classic” work of literature back on the shelf and try one of these modern marvels instead! It just so happens that three out of these four recs feature main characters who are writers, where their work plays a major role in the story. That wasn’t planned, but the result is a pick list perfect for those who love the self-aware novel, where authors play with their craft, and we readers are in on the fun.

Death of the Author by Nnedi Okorafor | Request Now

I wish you could request this book from the library and then remove the dust jacket to see how thoroughly the story-within-a-story concept is baked into this beautiful book. You can crack it open to find slick readability, style, and sharp wit. Okorafor’s latest afro-futuristic tale weaves, nay blurs, layers of storytelling while somehow juggling AI, robots, and the occasional Maine Coon cat. How does Okorafor do it? Enjoy this meta treat from one of the best literary talents of our time!

Colored Television by Danzy Senna | Request Now

We actually had Danzy Senna at the Downtown library for an author talk when this came out! In Colored Television, Jane, a biracial writer, is struggling to produce a successful next book, parent the kids, pay the bills, and save her marriage. Frustrated on all counts, she turns to a potential Hollywood deal writing a new TV show to turn things around. Relying on Hollywood is always a gamble, though, right? This darkly funny poke at the diversity industrial complex (and society at large) throws its weight in all the right places to deliver alternating gut punches and belly laughs about art, love, making it, and making ends meet.

Sky Full of Elephants by Cebo Campbell | Request Now

Suspend your disbelief, your need to tie up plot holes, to have everything make tidy sense, and you just might make it through one of the most interesting dystopian treks of the last few years. The premise? On the same day, every white person in America inexplicably drowns themselves. Yep. With that, Campbell’s tumultuous stage is set, and if the set piece is white people erasing themselves, the soundtrack is a big what-if? Fair warning: the main character has spent years in prison for a rape he did not commit. Now free, after the collapse of the old social/power structures, he agrees to help his biracial daughter travel south to the Kingdom of Alabama in search of her “missing” white family. It’s an explosive fiction debut à la fascinating thought experiment.

Love is an Open Book by Chandra Blumberg | Request Now

In the mood for something light, joyful, and just a tad spicy, but mostly sweet? Give Chandra Blumberg’s buoyant romance a try! It’s a lovely counter to some of the tougher—but still great!—picks on this list. It’s a fast little page-turner with perfectly tuned will-they-won’t-they tension. It follows Mia, stymied by writer’s block, and her bestie, Gavin, as they embark on a delightful “experiment” with romance novel tropes. But Mia’s writing fodder isn’t the only thing blossoming between them. To sweeten the deal, Blumberg is a Michigander!

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Staff Picks: Zero Proof

Mon, 01/05/2026 - 1:53pm by evelyn

Do you need a reset after New Year’s? Are you participating in Dry or Damp January? From the perfect cup of coffee to boba tea recipes to non-alcoholic cocktails, these zero-proof titles will give you more than enough recipes to make your next delicious drink. You can also find a whole range of books about drinks, alcoholic and non, here.

Mocktail Party: 75 Plant-Based, Non-Alcoholic Mocktail Recipes for Every Occasion by Kerry Benson & Diana Licalzi Request Now

First, I have an annoyance with this book: why specify plant-based? A White Russian or the occasional bacon-fat-washed cocktail aside, most drinks—and almost all spirits—are plant-based. However, if you can ignore this marketing scheme, you will be rewarded with a great list of mocktails. With a large frozen section, I think Mocktail Party is useful during the summer, but it also boasts a fun holiday section with some tasty fall and winter selections. This book is completely free of alcoholic options, and any dairy options use coconut or nut milk. Maybe that’s why they are plant-based? Okay, okay, I’m letting it go!

Boba: Classic, Fun, and Refreshing Bubble Teas to Make at Home by Stacey Kwong & Beyah del Mundo | Request Now

Are you burning through your money at too many of Ann Arbor’s excellent boba tea shops? Learn how to make your own at home! I admit that I personally am not a big fan of boba and always get my tea without it. However, if you want to take on the task of making it yourself, this book offers two recipes: one made from pre-purchased boba and one from tapioca flour. Even if you don’t like boba, this book’s many fruit syrups and jams would be useful for any drink! About half of Boba's recipes call for tea, and about half don’t. I’m most excited to try the adorable pink drink, “The Piglet,” which uses strawberry coconut milk.

How To Drink Coffee: Recipes for Java Brews and Café Treats by Sarah Ford | Request Now

Perhaps you're thinking to yourself, “But I already know how to drink coffee!” Okay, sure, but do you know how to make a great coffee drink? When I first picked up this book, I thought it would be more about the history of coffee or would be packed with specific brewing instructions. It does have short sections on both, but the bulk of the book is recipes. A few are alcoholic, but most are not. In addition to tasty recipes like gingerbread latte and cold-brew soda, this book also has several food options. If you’d like to learn how to bake with coffee or an easy way to make coffee ice cream, How to Drink Coffee is for you!

Zero Proof Drinks & More: 100 Recipes for Mocktails & Low-Alcohol Cocktails by Maureen Petrosky | Request Now

With a beautiful full-color photograph of every drink, this book will inspire you to bust out your ingredients and start mixing! First, learn how to make an array of syrups and shrubs, which feature vinegar-based flavors. Then, you can mix those with other easy-to-find ingredients to get your perfect drink! More than three-quarters of Zero Proof Drinks feature drinks that are non-alcoholic, but there are a few low-alcohol-by-volume options at the end. I like that the book also has a whole punch and pitcher section for inviting friends over! And although it might be hard to improve on a Shirley Temple, I’m excited to try the less sugary, more adult Shirley T., made with ginger and lime rather than Sprite.

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AADL's Most Requested Items of 2025

Mon, 12/22/2025 - 3:06pm by maddiefancett

What had AADL patrons hitting “request” the most this year? Our annual round-up reveals the top 20 most requested items in 11 categories, from bestselling books and hit albums to tools and our legendary Giant Checkers set!

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Staff Picks: Cozy Night In

Mon, 12/08/2025 - 11:56am by ohheyitselle

Why go out when the library can provide everything needed for a cozy night in? Full disclosure: This entire list reflects my own bias of what cozy is—so you do you! That said, pajamas are mandatory. The more you look like the Sleepytime Tea bear, the better.

Soup & Comfort: A Cookbook of Homemade Recipes to Warm the Soul by Pamela Ellgen | Request Now

We’re starting our cozy evening with some dinner, and what is cozier than soup? Ellgen includes 135 recipes, using fresh and affordable ingredients that cater to a variety of dietary preferences and tastes, including vegetarian and gluten-free options. Along with the recipes are tips to make soup faster and easier with stock-making instructions, slow-cooker wisdom, and ways to liven up leftovers. The world of soup is here for you to enjoy one spoonful at a time. You can also enjoy other comfort food cookbook options in our catalog!

PHO by Victo Ngai | Request Now

You may be thinking, “Another soup-related idea?” Well, yes. WE'RE FOCUSING ON COZY. With that being said, this will be the last soup-themed item on this list, so enjoy it while it lasts! This 500-piece puzzle by Victo Ngai is perfect for an evening in. PHO? YES, PLEASE. Sit back, work on a cozy puzzle, and listen to some tunes. If 500 pieces are too many or too few for you, then you can browse our puzzle collection here!

The Art of Loving by Olivia Dean | Request Now

Speaking of tunes, Olivia Dean is taking the world of music by storm with her jazzy soul sound. This album is perfect for easy listening or solving puzzles. The song, “Man I Need,” has been blowing up lately as one of the poppier songs on the album, but I highly encourage you to listen to the whole album! The final song, “I've Seen It,” is especially lovely. Some alternate cozy listening includes Yazmin Lacey or Amber Mark.

When Harry Met Sally | Request Now

This is a classic friends-to-lovers rom-com that has stood the test of time! The film follows two best friends over the years as they fight their attraction to each other. It’s an absolute delight from start to finish. You may have seen When Harry Met Sally before, but hear me out. A cozy movie isn’t gonna throw twists at you. And no jump scares either! A rewatch of a classic movie is perfectly cozy, and a movie with twists can be cozy if you have already seen it. Plus, you have the added benefit of falling asleep during the movie and not having to worry about what you missed! Honorable mention cozy movies include Knives Out, My Neighbor Totoro, Little Women, and Fantastic Mr. Fox.

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Staff Picks: New Year, New Hobby?

Thu, 12/04/2025 - 2:45pm by eapearce

We all approach the new year with different interpretations of goals, resolutions, or the lack thereof! There’s certainly no one right way to enter a new year, but if you’re looking for something new to do in 2026, why not try picking up a new hobby? AADL is full of how-to books on crafts, activities, skills, and DIY projects. You might be surprised at what interests you or what you are good at! Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Crafting a Better World: Inspiration and DIY Projects for Craftivists by Diana Weymar | Request Now

Diana Weymar is a well-known “craftivist”—that is, a crafter who uses their work for activism. She knows that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed in the world these days, and sometimes difficult to find an outlet for worries and fears. This was her inspiration for Crafting a Better World—a book that encourages its readers to combat fatigue and frustration with the handmade. The book is chock-full of craft ideas related to activism that one can do alone or with their community. It also has essays, profiles of famous creatives, and contributions from other artists and activists, including Jamie Lee Curtis, Rosanne Cash, Roz Chast, and many more.

Block Prints: How to Make Them by William S. Rice | Request Now

Originally published in 1941, this updated edition of the classic block printing book includes a new introduction. Readers will be delighted to see the illustrations included amongst the pages that walk beginning block printers through the technique. An avid block printer, William S. Rice includes step-by-step directions for the process. This book is also helpful for those already familiar with and skilled at block printing. However, Rice discusses using more advanced techniques and designs, explores printing with more than one block, and highlights matting and framing block prints.

DIY: Repair, Renovate, and Decorate With Over 400 Step-by-Step Projects by Julian Cassell | Request Now

This hefty book covers a lot of ground for DIY home projects and home repairs. It’s a great one to pick up if you’re considering different projects or looking for some ideas of what to do around the home. While broad, there are step-by-step guides to a wide variety of projects, from fitting a shower cubicle to choosing the painting technique that best suits the room you are painting. Photographs are helpful in this book, too, allowing readers to visualize what Julian Cassell is talking about when describing parts, tools, equipment, and materials. There’s a large section on making your home more eco-conscious, too.

The Art of Whittling: A Woodcarver’s Guide to Making Things by Hand by Niklas Karlsson | Request Now

As the jacket of the book says, “Whittling is more than just a way of busying idle hands – it is a pastime for those who love the texture of wood and a way of life for those who feel a special connection between people and trees.” Whittling is also a fabulous way to quiet the mind. It takes focus and precision, but also allows for creativity and individual interpretation on each project. In this lovely book by Niklas Karlsson, you’ll learn about the history of whittling, including the ways that different people have used it as artistic expression. You’ll also learn about different woods and how they affect your project, various whittling techniques—from the simple to the more challenging—and all about the tools you’ll need to get started. Karlsson also emphasizes woodworking as a practice of the Danish art of hygge. It translates loosely into finding coziness and comfort in a warm atmosphere. Beginners may appreciate how this book offers a slightly more contemplative view of woodworking than other, more straightforward how-to guides.

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Staff Picks: Cozy Fantasy

Wed, 12/03/2025 - 5:53pm by lucroe

When life feels a bit too stressful, cozy fantasy books can be the perfect escape. Who couldn’t get behind being whisked away to enchanting worlds where quirky characters navigate delightful adventures? So grab a hot cup of cocoa, a tea, or your favorite beverage, and plan out your cozy fantasy reading list from these titles.

The Spellshop by Sarah Beth Durst | Request Now
Kiela is a librarian working at the Great Library of Alyssium with her assistant Caz, who happens to be a sentient spider plant. Each are dedicated to safeguarding the empire’s extensive knowledge of magic and spells. But when a revolution breaks out and rebels set the library on fire, they have no choice but to escape with a few crates of books. Keila seeks shelter in the only place she knows will be secure: her childhood home in Caltrey, a distant island removed from the empire’s reach and the chaos of the rebellion. Unfortunately, the island is struggling since the empire stopped sending sorcerers whose magic helped this once flourishing region. Kiela has the power to restore it with the spellbooks she possesses but it is illegal, and if the empire survives and she is caught, it could mean death. With such memorable characters as the nosy, handsome neighbor Larren who runs a merhorse farm and Bryn the antlered woman who loves to bake, Kiela knows she must do something so she opens up a secret spellshop. Get ready to wrap yourself in a comfy sweater, and enjoy a cuppa while reading this magical story.

Sorcery and Small Magics by Maiga Doocy | Request Now
Leo Loveage is learning to be a scriver of minor spells at the Fount, a well-respected magical school. He really doesn’t want to be here, but his dad insisted. Leo is o.k. with being average, since bad things happen when he tries anything like grandmagic. But even an average spell can cause trouble, as he finds out when he accidentally gets tied to Sebastian Grimm, a rival and top student. Now, Leo has to follow Grimm’s every order and stick close to him. Neither are happy about this since they can’t stand each other. Teaming up to find a counterspell is their only option and they must do this in secret since control spells are a no-go on campus, even those that are accidental. So, they head to the Unquiet Wood, where a powerful witch is said to live. They just need to get past all the weird creatures and not end up killing each other along the way. An utterly delightful read with a perfect blend of sarcastic humor, dry wit, and sweetness (mostly from Leo’s character). The classic enemies to lovers’ arc is a big part of this story but with the occasional irreverence and emotional depth this rises above the rest. Now if Doocy will just finish the sequel!

Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher | Request Now
Mona is a wizard, but let’s be real, her magic isn’t exactly impressive or even very powerful. Her special ability is all about bread! Still, she loves spending her days baking in her aunt and uncle’s bakery. Or at least she did. Because out of nowhere, a body shows up on the kitchen floor, and she gets arrested and brought before the Duchess, plunging her into a mess that involves a serial killer, the discrimination against magical people, and an urgent need for the city to have twelve-foot-tall gingerbread guards. Now all she wants is to make it to her fifteenth birthday in one piece. A great read for teens and adults about growing up and becoming the magical girl that saves a kingdom! Kingfisher imbues the story with humor and heart with such lovable and memorable characters, including animal and inanimate objects. A fast-paced, entertaining read.

The Rainfall Market by You Yeong-Gwang | Request Now
Serin is a teen who lives with her mother after her father dies and sister runs away from home. With the family facing financial difficulties, Serin fears that her future appears bleak. She feels as though there is no place in the world where she fits in. Having abandoned her hopes to attend the university, her affordable and state-sponsored taekwondo class is her most cherished pastime. But not all hope is lost as there are whispers that during the monsoon season, the dokkaebi (Korean goblins) summon the unfortunate to the Rainfall Market. If she is selected and can make it there, the dokkaebi will fulfill her lifelong dreams. When she receives the ticket to the market, she begins to ponder: what does she truly desire? And will achieving that bring her genuine happiness? It is a simple fable following Serin’s quest to discover her perfect life while meeting a cast of characters that teach lessons along the way, including a magical cat companion Issha. A book for the old and young that reminds us that there is no such thing as a magical solution to our problems but we can create our own happiness by fostering hope and courage alongside those most dear to us.

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Staff Picks: Happy 250th Birthday, Jane Austen!

Fri, 11/28/2025 - 11:38am by Sara W

Jane Austen, born December 16, 1775, celebrates her semiquincentennial birthday this year - happy 250th, Jane! Her novels have more than stood the test of time, inspiring mashups, parodies, homages, gender-swapped reinterpretations, alternative (sometimes intergalactic) settings, and of course, screen adaptations. Here are some highlights of Austen adaptations available from AADL's circulating and streaming video collection!

Sense & Sensibility (2008)
This 2008 miniseries invests time in character backstory in this Austen favorite, helping to round out and give more grounding to characters like Edward Ferrars and John Willoughby. This iteration of Dashwood girls, especially Hattie Morahan and Charity Wakefield, are just as easy to root for as the 1995 sibling duo. Which brings us to...Sense & Sensibility (1995)! This cast is incredible, but I think the real star of the production is the Emma Thompson's Oscar-winning screenplay adaptation. Add Ang Lee's direction, Kate Winslet glowing against Alan Rickman's glowering, and Hugh Laurie, whose minor character couldn't look more annoyed than if he were playing Dr. House for yet another season. Put it all together and you have a perfect storm of Jane Austen movie magic!

Emma (2009)
The BBC's 4-part miniseries features Romola Garai as Emma and includes Jonny Lee Miller as the steadfast Mr. Knightley and Michael Gambon as the fusspot Mr. Woodhouse. As a very faithful adaptation, it makes a great starting place for those whose may have only experienced this Austen work through Amy Heckerling's much looser 1995 adaptation, Clueless. For a newer adaptation, try Emma (2020), which stars Anya Taylor-Joy, Josh O'Connor, Mia Goth, and Bill Nighy, hypochondriacally sniffling his way through the entire production. Jane Austen famously said Emma Woodhouse was an unlikeable heroine but nowhere have I seen it depicted more heart-stoppingly than through Miranda Hart's performance in the picnic scene.

Persuasion (2007)
Sally Hawkins' portrayal of the admirable and steadfast Anne Elliot stands out among the fickle and faithless family around her. Persuasion is a slower-paced Austen story, where the drama is in the past and the story is unfolding around living with a decision made in one's youth. Sally Hawkins's delicate expressions are a perfect fit for this exceptional grown-up of an Austen heroine. This is a subtler and quieter Austen adaptation experience, but no less captivating.

Pride & Prejudice (1995)
Available to bewitch you, body and soul, via AADL's streaming video collection forever! This 6-part miniseries features the delightful Jennifer Ehle as Elizabeth Bennett and Colin Firth as the aloof but sometimes also dripping wet Fitzwilliam Darcy. The casting is off the charts here, with Lydia and Mrs. Bennett chewing up all the scenery a parlor could possibly provide, but my hands-down favorite role here is David Bamber's Mr. Collins, who hits all the right ingratiating, pathetic notes as the least welcome cousin anywhere from Kent to Hertfordshire. But if a mini-series is just too long, and the 2005 Keira Knightley/Matthew MacFadyen adaptation is too traditional, then give Bride & Prejudice a spin! It's the familiar story of a fussing parent seeking good matches for her children, set in Amritsar, and featuring impossibly catchy Bollywood musical numbers, and only adding to the magic of the source material.

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Staff Picks: Stream it on AADL.org!

Fri, 11/21/2025 - 4:31pm by emjane

Great news! There’s a ton of great video to stream via your aadl.org catalog! You can browse the whole collection of more than 10,000 videos, or check out some recommended picks below:

Explore Our World

Tune into animals with David Attenborough. Travel Europe with Rick Steves. Dive deep into nature with Evolution Earth (or Planet Earth or Seven Worlds One Planet…follow that rabbit hole)!

History & Biography

Pull up Finding Your Roots with Henry Louis Gates Jr. for celebrities’ personal histories. Tuck in with Ann Arbor’s own Ken Burns. Catch up with episodes of A&E’s Biography or PBS’s American Experience! Or watch the two-part HBO documentary on Pee-Wee Herman!

Listen to the Music!

The Under Review music series takes deep dives into musicians, bands, and albums, using concert footage and interviews. Or you can do a search of streaming content for concert and get a wide-range of live performances ranging from Devo to Beethoven concertos to Woody Guthrie

Stuff for Kids

It’s not just for grownups! Watch animated classics like Arthur, Franklin, and Daniel Tiger’s Neighborhood. Learn something from the History Kids or Kratts Creatures. Or curl up with a good book with Reading Rainbow or Storybook Classics

And there’s so much more! BBC Classics, HBO’s Chernobyl, , PBS’s NOVA, the Full Docuseek Catalog, and more just waiting for you to find it!

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Staff Picks: Live Music Concerts on Video

Tue, 11/11/2025 - 10:44am by bunkleyj@aadl.org

There’s nothing like seeing the crowd’s reaction, feeling that electric exchange between the artist and the audience. The Last Dance gave us a glimpse of that magic, while Wattstax made us feel like we were right there in Watts in 1972. These selections are meant to do the same—to transport you to a moment when the lights were low, the groove was high, and the music brought everyone together. Here are four to help you on your journey.

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival : 3 Films | Request Now

The Complete Monterey Pop Festival brings together three landmark films that capture one of the most defining music events of the 1960s. Directed by D.A. Pennebaker, the collection includes Monterey Pop (1968), Jimi Plays Monterey, and Shake! Otis at Monterey. The set offers a vivid record of the 1967 festival that helped introduce major artists like Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin, and Otis Redding to a wider audience. Pennebaker’s documentary style gives viewers an authentic look at the performances and the atmosphere of the time—raw, spontaneous, and full of energy. Together, these films stand as both a historical document and a thrilling reminder of how live music can capture the spirit of a generation.

Urgh! A Music War | Request Now

Urgh! A Music War is a concert film that captures the raw energy and diversity of the post-punk and new wave scenes of the early 1980s. Filmed across several venues in Europe and the United States, it features performances from more than 30 artists, including The Police, Devo, The Go-Go’s, Echo & the Bunnymen, and XTC. Rather than relying on narration or backstage footage, the film focuses entirely on live performances, giving it a fast-paced, immersive feel. The result is a snapshot of an exciting musical era—restless, experimental, and bursting with creativity. Urgh! A Music War remains an essential document for anyone interested in the sound and spirit of early ’80s alternative music.

The T.A.M.I. Show The Big T.N.T. Show | Request Now

The T.A.M.I. Show (1964) and its follow-up The Big T.N.T. Show (1966) are landmark concert films that capture the excitement and evolution of mid-1960s pop, rock, and soul music. Filmed in front of live teenage audiences, The T.A.M.I. Show features unforgettable performances from artists like The Rolling Stones, The Supremes, Chuck Berry, and a show-stealing James Brown. The Big T.N.T. Show continues the momentum with appearances by Ray Charles, The Byrds, Ike & Tina Turner, and Petula Clark, among others. Both films are shot with a crisp, energetic style that reflects the youthful spirit of the era and the crossover energy between rock and soul. Together, they serve as time capsules of a moment when American popular music was bursting into a new, electrifying phase.

Summer of Soul | Request Now

Summer of Soul (…Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) is a powerful documentary directed by Questlove that revisits the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, a series of concerts celebrating Black music, pride, and community. Long overshadowed by Woodstock, the festival featured extraordinary performances by Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, Sly and the Family Stone, The 5th Dimension, and many others. Using newly restored footage and insightful interviews, the film brings this historic event to life while exploring its social and cultural significance. Summer of Soul is both an exhilarating concert film and a vital piece of American history, reminding viewers of the deep connection between music, identity, and the movement for change.

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Staff Picks: Authentically Narrated Audiobooks

Mon, 11/10/2025 - 6:13pm by erin

One of the best things about audiobooks is visiting other countries and places with a narrator who pronounces words and names as a member of the community represented in the book. The narration on these audiobooks pulls you into a setting that makes for an immersive and authentic experience.

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley | Request the BOCD or from Libby

Boulley’s debut novel, Firekeeper’s Daughter, takes place in the Upper Peninsula in Sault Ste Marie, and Sugar Island at the Canadian border, and the Soo Locks. In this page-turning thriller, told through the eyes of Daunis Fontaine, readers learn the language and culture of the Anishinaabe people as she goes undercover to help reveal crime and corruption in her community. In the audiobook, you will hear how to pronounce many words in Anishinaabemowin. Isabella Star LeBlanc is the narrator.

Big Girl, Small Town by Michelle Gallen | Request from Libby

Majella lives a seemingly predictable existence and never seeks the spotlight. She works at the local chip shop and cares for her alcoholic mother. She prefers a quiet life away from nosy, gossiping neighbors in her small Northern Ireland town.

Underneath this blank surface, she has no idea where her father is, and she struggles with knowing the lingering divide between Protestants and Catholics has irreparably changed her entire town. When Majella's grandmother dies, she comes to realize there may be more to life than the gossips of Aghybogey, the pub, and the chip shop - a huge world! Irish actress Nicola Coughlan, of Bridgerton and Derry Girls fame, imbues the narration with an Irish dialect and matches the comic energy of this darkly hilarious novel.

The Family Recipe by Carolyn Huynh | Request BOCD or from Libby

Duc Tran, the eccentric founder of the Vietnamese sandwich chain Duc's Sandwiches, has decided to retire. He informs his four daughters that to receive their inheritance, they must revitalize run-down shops in locations across America. But if the firstborn (and only) son, Jude, gets married first, everything will go to him. As Duc's children scramble to win their inheritance, they begin to learn the real intention behind the inheritance scheme.

The publisher writes: The Family Recipe is about rediscovering one’s roots, different types of fatherly love, legacy, and finding a place in a divided country where the only commonality among your neighbors is the universal love of sandwiches.

Narrators VyVy Nguyen & David Lee Huynh do a wonderful job.

Erotic Stories For Punjabi Widows by Balli Kaur Jaswal | Request from Libby

After her father's death, Nikki, who has spent most of her life distancing herself from the traditional Sikh community, takes a job teaching a creative writing course in the heart of the Punjabi community. The women have different ideas of what they want to write, and the classes take an erotic turn that causes some commotion and explodes in popularity, when word gets out and many women want to participate! The setting is London in 2017, so the narrator reads with a British English accent. This is a warm and, at times, funny book with serious social commentary about disturbing crimes impacting women in the community. Meera Syal's authentic pronunciation invites you into the Punjabi community living in London.

Shuggie Bain by Douglas Stuart | Request from Libby

Shuggie Bain is the not-to-be-forgotten story of young Hugh "Shuggie" Bain, a gentle and lonely boy who spends his 1980s childhood in public housing in Glasgow, Scotland. Shuggie's mother is a complicated woman with an intense alcohol problem that alienates her older children. The narrator, Angus King, and his strong Scottish accent welcome you into life in Glasgow, Scotland. This audiobook will captivate you and pull you into Shuggie's challenging world.

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Staff Picks: Ann Arbor Writes

Sun, 11/09/2025 - 6:27pm by lucroe

There are many excellent writers from, or currently residing in Ann Arbor that to choose just a few is difficult. Below are some favorites from our collection with links to see more about their work. Enjoy a local writer today!

Destroy This House: a Memoir by Amanda Uhle | Request Now
The author tells her life story being raised by a mother who was a hoarder and a father who would cook up various money-making schemes just to see them fail. When one business scheme eventually pans out, they are suddenly living in luxury, then it comes crashing down. Throughout her childhood, they bounced from house to house, living in 10 houses in 5 states, never having stability. It was, to say the least, a dysfunctional childhood. Amanda chronicles her upbringing but this is just as much about her quest for independence. After marrying and becoming a mother, the author was still dealing with her parents’ messy life which included aging and illness. At times funny, and other times painful to read but never boring. For those who enjoyed the Glass Castle, this may be a read for you. Uhle lives in Ann Arbor and was the executive director of 826michigan for 11 years. A full interview and transcript with her for Pulp can be viewed here.

The Volcano Daughters by Gina Maria Balibrera | Request Now
This debut novel from Ann Arborite Balibrera is set against the backdrop of El Salvador’s turbulent political landscape in the 1920s under the brutal dictatorship of El Gran Pendejo or The General, as he is known here. Two sisters are the focal point to this magical realist story. They lived on a volcano where the indigenous people work as bonded laborers in the coffee fields. Graciela survives a massacre of her people by Salvadoran soldiers while her sister Consuelo is taken away by her father to live in the capital with his new wife. Graciela is eventually captured as well and taken to the dictator to be his oracle. Ghosts of the massacre follow these sisters to the capital, the diaspora, and throughout their lives. They whisper into Graciela’s ears to write their life story, the story of the volcano daughters while telling their own stories of what could have been if they survived. The sisters are the constant of the book even though other stories may interrupt the narrative. An excellent novel which enlightens the reader on this important part of El Salvador history within a compelling story of sisterhood. Read the Q & A with Pulp here

Number One Chinese Restaurant by Lillian Li | Request Now
Nominated for the Women’s Prize for Fiction in 2019 and named best book of the year by NPR, Li’s debut is set in Maryland’s Chinese immigrant community centering around a popular restaurant the Duck House. In this story, Jimmy Han, the owner of Duck House, seeks to escape his father's influence and establish his own legacy. As he nears the completion of a dubious plan to replace his father's traditional Chinese restaurant with his new venture, Beijing Glory, he attempts to withdraw from the scheme, resulting in negative consequences. Over time, he discovers that his decisions have impacted everyone associated with the original Duck House, and he realizes that these friends and family members hold greater significance in his life than he initially understood. With a vibrant cast of characters that grow throughout the story, a dynamic narrative exploring familial bonds as well as longstanding grievances, and a dollop of dark humor, this book definitely deserves the accolades. Read the Q & A with Pulp here.

Welsh Girl by Peter Ho Davies | Request Now
Michigan professor in the Zell Writers’ Program and award-winning author Davies’ debut novel from 2007 and still one of his best. The story takes place in rural Wales after D-Day with a young girl Esther Evans who lives near a German POW camp. She is drawn to a young soldier, Karsten Simmering, who struggles to maintain some dignity having decided to surrender. A third character Captain Rotheram, a German Jew working for British intelligence, is charged with interviewing Rudolph Hess in order to assess his sanity for trial. After some time, Rotheram gets orders to leave for the Welsh POW camp. These three are brought together in the tangle of wartime drama. Beautiful prose with equal parts humor and pathos make this a powerful and emotional charged novel. Davies’ most recent book is nonfiction, The Art of Revision which is well worth reading for both new and experienced writers for advice on revising ones work and when to know when the story is done.

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Staff Picks: Graphic Novels for History Buffs

Sat, 11/08/2025 - 9:51am by nicole

If you're looking to step back in time and learn about history, these graphic novels are a great place to start! Explore the history of humankind, personal perspectives on historic times, impactful historical figures, or even silly comic strips that poke fun at the past.

Sapiens: a Graphic History. Volume One, The Birth of Humankind by Yuval N. Harari | Request Now
In this full-color illustrated adaptation of his groundbreaking book, renowned historian Yuval Harari tells the story of humankind's creation and evolution, exploring the ways in which biology and history have defined us and enhanced our understanding of what it means to be 'human'. From examining the role evolving humans have played in the global ecosystem to charting the rise of empires, Sapiens challenges us to reconsider accepted beliefs, connect past developments with contemporary concerns, and view specific events within the context of larger ideas. Readers who can't get enough of human history are in luck - there are several more books in the series that can be found in the catalog.

Persepolis: the Story of a Childhood by Marjane Satrapi | Request Now

A classic comic biography that is still beloved over 20 years after its publication, Persepolis is the deeply personal and surprisingly funny story of Marjane Satrapi's childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution. It's a story of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. Those who enjoy this first volume can find the equally-entertaining second volume in the AADL catalog.

The Imitation Game: Alan Turing Decoded by Jim Ottaviani | Request Now
The Imitation Game presents a historically accurate graphic novel biography of English mathematician and scientist Alan Turing, a man credited with many of the foundational principles of contemporary computer science, including his groundbreaking work on the fundamentals of cryptography and artificial intelligence. Turing's code breaking efforts led to the cracking of the German Enigma during World War II, work that saved countless lives and accelerated the Allied defeat of the Nazis. Award-winning author Jim Ottaviani presents a factually detailed account of Turing's life and groundbreaking research--as an unconventional genius who was arrested, tried, convicted, and punished for being openly gay, and whose innovative work still fuels the computing and communication systems that define our modern world. Computer science buffs, comics fans, and history aficionados alike will all be captivated by this riveting story of one of the 20th century's most unsung heroes.

Hark! A Vagrant by Kate Beaton | Request Now
History can be heavy sometimes, and Kate Beaton's comic strips are a perfect palate-cleanser for readers who want a little humor with their history. Hark! A Vagrant takes readers on a romp through both history and literature--with dignity for few and cookies for all--with comic strips about famous authors and their characters, as well as political and historical figures, all drawn in Kate Beaton's pared-down, excitable style. Whether she's writing about Nikola Tesla, Napoleon, or Nancy Drew, Beaton brings a refined sense of the absurd to every situation. Anyone seeking more of Kate Beaton's hilarious comics should check out her second collection, Step Aside, Pops, in the catalog.

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Staff Picks: Mythology in Fiction

Fri, 11/07/2025 - 11:56am by eapearce

Madeline Miller’s Circe, published in 2018, kicked off a major trend in fictionalized mythology accounts. Myths from a variety of cultures have been adapted into novels, allowing readers to consider familiar stories in different ways. While the authors certainly take liberties with the myths, offering their own spins and interpretations, this is all part of the fun of reading the different takes on the stories! If you enjoyed Circe, or just enjoy mythology, you might want to give one of these novels a try.

Elektra, by Jennifer Saint | Request Now

Elektra tells the story of three women who are tangled up in an ancient curse. Opening with Clytemnestra’s marriage to Agamemnon, and her unwillingness to listen to the dark rumors about his family line, the book is told from the perspectives of Clytemnestra herself, Cassandra and Elektra. Those familiar with Greek mythology will know that Clytemnestra should have paid more attention to those insidious rumors of Agamemnon, as he betrays her on the eve of the Trojan War. Following the betrayal, Clytemnestra must confront the curse that has destroyed her family. Meanwhile, Princess Cassandra, a prophet in Troy, is also battling a curse. Despite her gift, no one will believe what she sees or heed her warnings, and she’s powerless to halt the tragedy about to befall her city. Elektra is Clytemnestra and Agamemnon’s youngest daughter, and despite his actions, she only wants her beloved father to return safely from war. But her destiny is entwined with her family’s long and bloody history, and it remains unclear if she will be powerful enough to break the endless cycle of violence that continues to befall them. Saint does an excellent job of bringing these three women to life, allowing them to be more than just side characters in Agamemnon’s story. It’s worth noting that Saint is also the author of the bestseller Ariadne and of Atalanta, both also retellings of Greek myths.

Daughter of the Moon Goddess, by Sue Lynn Tan | Request Now

This debut novel is inspired by the legend of the Chinese moon goddess, Chang’e. Growing up on the moon, Xingyin is used to solitude and is a happy child, unaware that she is being hidden from the powerful Celestial Emperor. Her mother had stolen his elixir of immortality, leading to her exile and the ensuing concealment of Xingyin. But as Xingyin grows older, her magic flares up and she is discovered and forced to flee the moon, leaving her mother behind. Alone and unsure how to use her powers, she makes her way to the Celestial Kingdom, a magical land of many wonders… and many secrets. Disguising her identity, she crafts a way to learn alongside the Crown Prince, and quickly masters skills alongside him, as their romance blooms. Once trained, Xingyin is determined to rescue her mother from exile and sets out on a dangerous quest, battling enemies of both earth and sky. Ultimately, when the entire Kingdom comes under threat, Xingyin must challenge the Emperor himself, lest the realm plunge into chaos. Perhaps the book jacket itself summarizes it best, reading “Daughter of the Moon Goddess begins an enchanting, romantic duology which weaves ancient Chinese mythology into a sweeping adventure of immortals and magic, of loss and sacrifice--where love vies with honor, dreams are fraught with betrayal, and hope emerges triumphant.”

The Witch’s Heart, by Genevieve Gornichec | Request Now

This retelling of the Norse myth of the witch Angrboda tells the story of her love affair with the famous trickster Loki. The story opens as many tales of witches do: with a burning. Odin orders Angrboda to be burned after she refuses to give him knowledge of the future. Though she survives the fire, it leaves her injured and without power and she flees into the far reaches of a remote forest. There, she encounters Loki, whom she initially distrusts. The two ultimately fall in love, however, and have three unusual children, each of whom has a separate fate. Angrboda’s only goal is to raise them safely at the edge of the world, far from Odin’s prying eyes. Over time, however, Angrboda slowly begins to regain her powers, and she sees that the quiet and perfect life she has created is in danger—and all of existence might be, too. She’s then forced into the impossible decision of accepting the fate that she has seen for her family, or rising up to fight their destiny. Despite being retold from one of the most ancient Norse myths, this story has timeless themes of love, loss and hope that will resonated even with readers of today.

The Women of Troy, by Pat Barker | Request Now

The Women of Troy is Barker’s feminist retelling of The Iliad. Readers will open the book to find themselves faced with the fall of Troy and the Greeks eager to finally return home with the spoils of war, which includes the women of Troy themselves. They wait impatiently for winds to come to the Aegean so that they can set sail, but no breeze blows. Those familiar with the myth will know that the body of King Priam lays unburied and desecrated, which has angered the gods, and the lack of wind to return home is their punishment. As the days pass and the Greeks and the Trojan women lay camped impatiently in the shadows of the destroyed Troy, tensions rise and the loyalties among the men begin to disintegrate. As old hatreds again come to light and new feuds begin, the former queen of Troy, Briseis, takes it all in, along with King Priam’s wife Hecuba and soothsayer Calchas. The three very different women are each determined to exact their revenge on their captors, and ultimately form an unusual alliance. Will they be able to regain their freedom and punish the Greeks? This book is the first in series, of which there are thus far two more installments.

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AADL Board of Trustees Applicants Sought

Mon, 11/03/2025 - 11:08am by eli

The AADL Board of Trustees seeks applicants interested in being appointed to the AADL Board for a partial term, and running for a 4-year term in the seat for the November 2026 election. A resignation has resulted in a vacant seat on the Board through December 2026.

Interested residents of the AADL District who are US citizens should send an email to boardapplicant@aadl.org no later than November 30th, 2025, expressing their interest in the role and their priorities for the library, and providing relevant qualifications in a document such as a resumé or CV.

The Board will review the responses, and the Board President will interview finalists, with a vote of the full board to appoint a new trustee expected at the January 26th regular meeting. The appointed trustee will be seated in February, and the appointed term will end December 31, 2026.

Feel free to contact Library Director Eli Neiburger at eli@aadl.org or 734-327-4263 if you have any questions.

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Staff Picks: 2025 A2 Community Bookfest Preview

Tue, 10/28/2025 - 11:43am by Sara W

The A2 Community Bookfest is coming up on Sunday, November 9 from 10 am-5 pm at the Downtown Library!

The day kicks off with a talk by author K-Ming Chang, whose works of surrealist fiction entwine mythic and fantasy elements with studies of intense relationships and obsession. The Bookfest vendor market features independent authors and publishers alongside book-related organizations and artisans. We'll also be highlighting the latest releases from AADL's publishing imprint, Fifth Avenue Press, several of which are already on the shelves and available in the catalog. We hope to see you November 9th and in the meantime, please enjoy some of Fifth Avenue Press's 2025 releases!

The Story of the First Pawpsicle by Ariel Ojibway | Request Now or Read Online
This delightful picture book imagines a popsicle origin story featuring an Anishnaabe boy named Wabooz who uses paw paw fruit, maple syrup, and a little sneaky support from forest friends to make a sweet treat. Illustrations are by artist and muralist Steph Babij.

Running Around Town by Stephen Postema | Request Now or Read Online
This memoir by longtime Ann Arbor city attorney Postema explores memories from his Ann Arbor youth throughout the 1960s and 1970s. These collected stories combine humor with a heartfelt love for time and place and are sure to resonate with Ann Arborites from any time period.

Phoenix Girl: How a Fat Asian with Bipolar Found Love by Michelle Yang | Request Now or Read Online
Yang's incisive memoir shares her experience moving to the U.S. from a Chinese community in South Korea as a child, examining her feelings of rootlessness amid complicated family dynamics. Yang honestly explores the pressures of her family life and navigating her own mental health diagnosis to a place of healing acceptance within herself and the safety and security she's always craved.

Music for Evenings by Gerald Siclovan | Request Now or Read Online
This inventive and unusual work of fiction unfolds over three lightly-linked stories. Themes of art and expression and love for language flow throughout these unconventional stories, blending them together into a complete and creative whole.

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Staff Picks: Indigenous Horror Tales

Sun, 10/26/2025 - 5:42pm by lucroe

Indigenous horror draws on centuries of legends and cultural trauma, creating narratives that blend folklore, supernatural elements, and real-world horrors. These stories are both ancient and strikingly relevant, yet often overlooked in mainstream horror. Here are several in our collection to consider reading.

The Whistler by Nick Medina | Request Now
Henry Hotard was on the verge of fame with his ghost-hunting videos until everything fell apart. Now, stuck in a wheelchair on his childhood reservation, he relies on his grandparents for care as he recovers. But beyond healing, he faces something supernatural. His girlfriend, Jade, believes the strange occurrences stem from his trauma adjusting to life as a quadriplegic. Yet Henry knows better; a ghost is haunting him, growing bolder each night, forcing him to confront the traumatic events that changed his life. It all started with a whistle in the darkness…From the imaginative author of Indian Burial Ground and Sisters of the Lost Nation.

Bad Cree by Jessica Johns | Request Now
Mackenzie, a young Cree woman, continues to have dreams that return her to a memory from before her sister Sabrina’s untimely death: A weekend at the family’s lakefront campsite. But when the waking world starts closing in, too, she returns to her rural hometown in Alberta, finding her family still steeped in the same grief that she ran away to Vancouver to escape. And still, her dreams intensify, ultimately forcing her to confront the toll of a legacy of violence on her family, her community, and the land they call home.

And Then She Fell by Alicia Elliott | Request Now
Alice, a member of the Mohawk nation, lives in Toronto with her husband Steve, a white professor dedicated to studying her tribe. Their challenging baby, Dawn, adds to Alice’s struggles with feeding and bonding. The first half of the book delves into Alice's past, exploring how she avoided teen pregnancy on ‘the rez,’ her troubled relationship with her mentally ill mother, and her close bond with her cousin Dana. Alice appears to be struggling with postpartum depression, but it may actually be a broader mental health crisis. She thinks that by writing the Haudenosaunee Creation Story, she can save both her daughter and herself. The latter part of the novel depicts her decline, filled with visions of talking cockroaches, Pocahontas speaking to her from TV, and intense paranoia about her possibly racist neighbors. The story becomes increasingly surreal. The author mentions in her introduction that she experienced a manic and psychotic episode while researching postpartum psychosis, which deepened her empathy for her mother, who had never shared her own struggles with bipolar disorder. This bold, creative book explores the horror that comes with losing control of one's body, life, and sense of self.

Never Whistle at Night: an Indigenous Dark Fiction Anthology | Request Now
This anthology, featuring 26 stories and a foreword by Stephen Graham Jones, showcases the diverse voices of indigenous horror authors. The collection, which includes stories from big names like Rebecca Roanhorse and Darcie Little Badger, showcases the depth and breadth of indigenous horror. The title, Never Whistle at Night, refers to the belief that whistling at night can draw malevolent entities. Some stories feature creatures from indigenous folklore, such as the kushtuka and the wendigo. Some stories also introduce a new indigenous twist on classic monsters like werewolves and zombies. Overall, the collection offers a diverse range of tales from vengeful to hopeful. Another excellent story anthology, The Bone Picker : Native Stories, Alternate Histories from noted Choctaw scholar Devon A. Mihesuah offers a dozen tales combining people from history and legend as well as supernatural beings from tribal lore.

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Staff Picks: Puzzling Puzzles for Puzzlers

Sat, 10/25/2025 - 2:48pm by nicole

Do you like riddles, puzzles, and brain teasers? These books are perfect for readers who enjoy a good puzzle or playing with words!

The 100 Best Brain Teasers for Kids: a Mind-Blowing Challenge of Wordplay, Math, and Logic Puzzles by Danielle Hall | Request Now
Put your thinking skills to the test with fun and tricky brain teasers for kids 8 to 12. Get ready to flex your mind muscles and think outside the box with The 100 Best Brain Teasers for Kids. You'll follow Ace the alien wizard and their trusty cat Panther as you tackle puzzles and riddles that test your knowledge of wordplay, logic, and math. Will you rescue the Beloved Crystal from the mischievous Flarkspurians and bring peace to Witloo? The quest is yours to complete! Power up your mind with brain teasers that help you learn new skills and become an intergalactic hero!

Puzzle Me Twice : 70 Simple Puzzles (Almost) Everyone Gets Wrong by Alex Bellos | Request Now
From mathy mind-benders to eye-fooling illusions, here are 70 perplexing puzzles with one key thing in common ― they all have a wrong answer that seems so right! In Puzzle Me Twice, you’ll have to think ― and think again ― to overrule your first instinct and uncover the truth. Bestselling author Alex Bellos wrangles math and physics, logic and wordplay, optical illusions, card games, and more to tie readers’ brains in pleasurable knots. It’s a merry tour of the many ways our reasoning can go wrong ― and how we can be more fool-proof in the future. Most people get these puzzles wrong. Will you beat the odds?!

The Puzzler : one Man's Quest to Solve the Most Baffling Puzzles Ever, From Crosswords to Jigsaws to the Meaning of Life by A. J. Jacobs | Request Now
Author A.J. Jacobs goes on a journey to understand the enduring power of puzzles: why we love them, what they do to our brains, and how they can improve our world. In The Puzzler, Jacobs meets the most zealous devotees, enters any puzzle competition that will have him, unpacks the history of the most popular puzzles, and aims to solve the most impossible head-scratchers, from a mutant Rubik’s Cube, to the hardest corn maze in America, to the most sadistic jigsaw. Chock-full of unforgettable adventures and original examples from around the world—including a hidden, super-challenging but solvable puzzle—The Puzzler will open readers’ eyes to the power of flexible thinking and concentration. Whether you’re puzzle obsessed or puzzle hesitant, you’ll walk away with real problem-solving strategies and pathways toward becoming a better thinker and decision maker—for these are certainly puzzling times.

Lateral Legends: the Toughest Riddles Known to Man by Aaron Gladstein | Request Now
You may be thinking to yourself the description "Toughest Riddles Known to Man," could not possibly be accurate. You would be right; this book is a collection of the hardest riddles known to humans of all genders, dolphins, elephants, and a few extra-terrestrial species. Within these pages you will rarely find metaphors, puns, or math problems, but instead problems akin to lateral thinking puzzles or out-of-the-box logic problems. To solve our puzzles, you need to be brilliant, logical, creative, and at least half-crazy. This book is best enjoyed with at least two people, as each riddle requires a question/answer back and forth. So grab a buddy, and give Lateral Legends a try!

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Staff Picks: Just Slightly Spooky for Kids

Sun, 10/12/2025 - 9:39am by evelyn

It’s spooky season! If you have a kid who is interested in spooky books but doesn’t want to be TOO scared, we have some great options! The library has a whole Stories to Go full of slightly spooky picture books, but for more specific recommendations, check these out!

There’s a Ghost in This House by Oliver Jeffers | Request Now
Eeek, a ghost! Oliver Jeffers is one of my favorite picture book authors and this book does not disappoint. A child moves through what seems to be the perfect house for haunting- large, old, and of course, filled with cobwebs. But despite how much she hopes to see a ghost, she just can’t find one! Children reading the book, however, will spot the friendly ghosts living in the house- they are printing on vellum pages that change the landscape as they switch from scene to scene. The ghosts are adorable and keep switching their hiding spots- kids will love finding them in each image!

Let’s Get Spooky by Štěpánka Sekaninová | Request Now
Perfect for fans of I Spy or Where’s Waldo, Let’s Get Spooky presents detailed, scary scenes for kids to pore over. Featuring both slightly sinister images and many humorous ones, this book is good for a large range of ages. It also has some interesting text on why humans enjoy being spooked, as well as the history of vampires and warlocks. Bonus: the cover glows in the dark for extra after dark fun!

The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale by Jon Klassen | Request Now
This wonderful and weird book is a great one to share as a family. Anyone who has read I Want My Hat Back knows Jon Klassen’s love of slightly absurd, dark writing for children. I adore both his writing and illustration style, and this book was fantastic. It features Otilla, a brave girl who agrees to help a skull escape from a headless skeleton that keeps chasing it. The text is secondary to the art, and despite the strange setting, it’s about as wonderful a book about loyalty and friendship as one could hope for.

Misfit Mansion by Kay Davault | Request Now
The monsters in this book, called “horrors,” are more adorable than terrifying. However, they’ve been told that the humans in town hate them and are too dangerous to be around. What happens when one horror, desperate for a family of her own, decides to escape the house where they all live? This graphic novel, filled with wonderful color and detail, delves into the importance of freedom, chosen family, and acceptance. And a sequel is coming in 2026!

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Staff Picks: Modern Nonfiction Pageturners

Sat, 10/11/2025 - 1:51pm by emjane

From the history of reality TV and the internet, to catfishing and a fraternity drug-ring from the late 2010s , these books couldn’t have been written twenty years ago—and they couldn’t be more propulsive reads!

Cue the Sun: The Invention of Reality TV by Emily Nussbaum | Request Now
Television critic Nussbaum takes a deeper look at reality television, giving the history of some its most influential shows. Even if you aren’t a reality TV watcher, it’s impossible to deny the impact that it has had on both our entertainment and our culture at large (need I mention the chapter on “The Apprentice”?) My flavor of reality TV is cooking competitions (which don’t get much of a mention), but I found myself looking for any excuse to put off real life and read another chapter. Nussbaum’s tone somehow balances the thoughtfully academic and the deliciously gossipy, and while the book didn’t make me want to watch more reality TV, it did make me want to learn more about it!

Extremely Online: The Untold Story of Fame, Influence, and Power on the Internet by Taylor Lorenz | Request Now
Similar to Nussbaum’s book, Extremely Online also gives a historical overview of how we found ourselves in our current media morass. Following the idea of influencers before they were known by that name (remember early blogs?), Lorenz traces how the internet—and finding fame on it—has impacted us. Earlier chapters had me saying “Oh, yeah, I remember that,” later ones enlightened me on more newer trends, as I’ve gotten older and less aware. This darker look at the content creator and influencer lifestyle made me glad I went into librarianship and work with the internet for information, rather than entertainment!

There is No Ethan: How Three Women Caught America’s Biggest Catfish by Anna Akbari | Request Now
Anyone who’s dabbled in online dating has had the thought “what if this person isn’t who they claim to be?” For most of us, the biggest stretch of the truth might be whether they really are six feet tall, but Akbari experienced that to the extreme. The book’s title gives away that Ethan, Akbari’s online suitor, isn’t who he claims, so the real tension of the read is when and how she’ll discover his deception. Each cancelled date makes you say, “C’mon! Stop giving him so many chances! Catch him already!” I picked up the book for the candy of comeuppance, but found myself pleasantly surprised by the element of female friendship developed as the women strung along by “Ethan” start finding each other.

Among the Bros : A Fraternity Crime Story by Max Marshall | Request Now
If the HBO doc “Bama Rush” didn’t satisfy your somewhat critical look into modern Greek life, Among the Bros is for you! Journalist Max Marshall went to College of Charleston to investigate a Xanax trafficking ring but discovered that the reach extended far beyond his initial expectations. Marshall chronicles the lives of the young men involved, beginning with what drew them to C of C and their fraternities and leading to how they were pulled into the trafficking and eventual murder it resulted in. Money, influence, and the dangerous confidence of the young are steeped throughout the story.

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Staff Picks: Scaring Up Some Laughs for Halloween

Fri, 10/10/2025 - 2:21pm by lucroe

Halloween is just around the corner so enjoy a movie or a series that offers some laughs alongside the scary with the following titles from AADL’s collection. Have a spooky good time !

The Blackening directed by Tim Story | Request Now
The Blackening centers on a group of old college friends reuniting for a weekend at a stylish mansion in the woods. It's not just any weekend; it's Juneteenth, marking ten years since their last get-together, filled with card games and a few indulgences. One game they discover is called the Blackening, and it’s unlike anything they’ve encountered. Without bothering to read the rules, they’re drawn in by the offensive sambo face on the board. Like many horror films, their first experience goes horribly wrong, and when others arrive at the house, they remain oblivious to the lurking danger. Even before things start getting violent however they joke about the odds of black people surviving in the woods. The jokes begin early and keep coming throughout the film. The one-liners are great, but the real humor stems from the characters' relationships. They’ve known each other for at least a decade and only old pals could tease each other like this, whether discussing how many black characters were featured on Friends or reminiscing about college. The combo of horror, comedy, and social commentary along with a great cast, makes this stand out from the otherwise cliché slasher movie trope.

Freaky directed by Christopher Landon | Request Here
The body-swap comedy gets a murderous upgrade in “Freaky,” starring Vince Vaughn and Kathryn Newton as a serial killer and mousy teen girl who accidentally switch bodies. Known best for “Happy Death Day,” (another horror/comedy worth checking out) director Christopher Landon brings his signature smarts to the simple premise, pulling thoroughly modern threads that help the standard fare feel fresh.

One Cut of the Dead directed by Ueda Shin’ichirô | Request Now
A Japanese zombie movie made in one long take? Does that grab your attention? Now the premise: A film crew is deep in production on a low-budget zombie flick at an old filtration plant. Takayuki Higurashi (Takayuki Hamatsu), the frantic director, storms off, frustrated with lead actress Aika Matsumoto's (Yuzuki Akiyama) performance. Left waiting with Aika and the lead zombie (Kazuaki Kamiya) is AD Harumi (Harumi Shuhama). Just as they kill time, a real zombie outbreak hits. The trio must run and fight for survival while the overly thrilled director captures every moment, finally getting the authentic performances he craved. Yes, it is a low budget zombie flick with poor acting and an actress who screams for a very long time then, what is happening? The movie ends about a third of the way and starts again with a leap backwards in time where we meet the director getting the job. It now feels more like a soap opera with difficult characters and kids that don’t get what they want until the final third of the movie, the real reason to stick with the movie, the section that makes everything up to it make sense, but you will need to watch it to find out why (sorry no spoilers here). As one reviewer put it, “It was like listening to a long joke whose punchline retroactively made the entire wait for it worth every second.”

Vicious Fun directed by Cody Calahan | Request Now
Following a night of heavy drinking, a critic of horror films dozes off inside a closet at a bar. Upon awakening and attempting to exit, he discovers that a serial killer therapy meeting is happening in the same location. The young man (Evan Marsh) must pretend to be a murderer, but if his ruse is uncovered, he risks becoming the next target. Just be wary, this movie lives up to the title and it is a bit of a gory mess, but cheesy and with plenty of laughs to go around.

Warm Bodies directed by Jonathan Levine | Request Now
In the aftermath of a Zombie Apocalypse, society has split into two distinct groups: the living and the undead, engaged in a constant battle against each other. Among these zombies is an individual known simply as 'R' (Nicholas Hoult), who grapples with the limitations of his undead life and yearns for a greater existence. During a hunt for food, which means seeking out humans, R encounters Julie (Teresa Palmer) and feels an unusual attraction to her. Not the usual attraction to eat her brains but something deeper, something emotional. R saves Julie from a swarming pack of zombies and takes her to his sanctuary. As they spend more time together, their bond grows, and R begins to regain his sense of humanity, feeling less like a zombie with each passing moment. A little rom-com-horror that is sweet and is a loose Romeo & Juliet adaptation. Nicholas Hoult is outstanding as a zombie with a metaphorical heart. A satisfying gem and great date movie for Halloween.

Plus 2 TV series for Halloween fright nights:

Ash vs Evil Dead | Request Now
For all the fans of the Sam Raimi Evil Dead franchise or just the fun ride of a dark comedy series, here is Ash vs Evil Dead. This series ran for 3 seasons and it was quite the ride! Just a note, you do not need to see or know the Evil Dead movies to appreciate the series which takes place about thirty years following the occurrences depicted in the Evil Dead films. Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) has settled into a peaceful existence living in a trailer in the fictional city of Elk Grove, Michigan. He is hoping to evade the malevolence that previously threatened his life. Yet, a fateful evening transforms everything when he inadvertently utters words from the Necronomicon, unleashing the darkness right at his door. Faced with no alternative, Ash realizes he must don his armor one final time to decipher the book and eradicate the evil for good.

Hysteria! | Request Now
This 8-episode series, set in fictional Happy Hollow, Michigan (what is it about our state and scary stories?!) in 1989 focusing on Dylan (Emjay Anthony), Jordy (Chiara Aurelia) and Spud (Kezii Curtis), a trio of high school outcasts. Picked on by the football players and ignored by the popular kids, they’ve poured all of their energies into Dethkrunch, a heavy metal band with no profile to speak of. The town is rocked by the football captain found ritually mutilated in such a way that the paranoid begin to suspect a Satanic cult is in their midst. Dylan seizes on an opportunity to hop on the Satanic bandwagon, no pun intended, so that maybe they can be the next Black Sabbath. If nothing else, maybe he can get his dream girl to notice him. But it eventually backfires, when the town turns their sites on the trio as leaders of a dangerous teen cult. But there is more to the residents of this sleepy town, including the church organizer (Anna Camp) who is determined to save the town from what she sees as the Devil among them. Bruce Campbell is also in this one but as a very low-key chief inspector and it is the young actors that really stand out in this lighthearted horror show. A great pick for teens and adults to watch for Halloween.

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Staff Picks: A Good, Old-Fashioned Detective Story

Tue, 10/07/2025 - 2:35pm by eapearce

The concept of a “mystery” novel can mean a variety of different things. Cozy mysteries, psychological thrillers, historical mysteries, international espionage thrillers, culinary mysteries… the list goes on and on! In many ways, this diversity is great because it means that there’s likely a mystery story out there for almost everyone. But sometimes the urge hits to pick up just a good, old-fashioned detective story, one that keeps you guessing but let’s you work on solving the mystery along with the lead. If this is your style of mystery novel, check out some of the suggestions below for ones to pick up!

The Searcher, by Tana French | Request Now
French is the author of the wildly popular Dublin Murder Squad series of books, each centered on a different detective or character related to the fictional investigative branch of the Dublin police force. With The Searcher, she launched a new series, lead by ex-Chicago detective Cal Hooper. After spending twenty-five years with the Chicago police and following a difficult divorce, Cal decides to move to rural Ireland to find some peace and quiet and take a break from the often brutal nature of his job. His peace doesn’t last for long, though: a local kid’s brother goes missing and—disappointed in the efforts of the area police—the young man begs Cal to try and figure out what happened. As Cal reluctantly dives into the mystery, he uncovers dark secrets about his new small-town life and realizes that even the beautiful Irish countryside isn’t always what it seems. French is known for her rich characters and ability to craft elaborate but engaging mysteries. Her titles are always a sure bet for classic mystery fans.

Against the Grain, by Peter Lovesey | Request Now

Lovesey’s award-winning series starring Detective Peter Diamond opened way back in 1991. It concluded just this past year with his final novel in the long-running series, Against the Grain. In the final installment, Detective Diamond goes undercover at a seasonal festival in the English countryside to help an old friend try to solve an unusual murder involving a mysterious accident in a local grain silo. Those who have read previous installments in the series will know that Diamond is known for his old-fashioned methods. He believes in knocking on doors, interviewing persons of interest, and leaving computers and analysis to his younger colleagues. Not everyone agrees with his methodology—or finds the brown trilby hat he insists upon wearing on his balding head flattering—but no one can argue with the fact that Diamond gets the job done. Going undercover forces the curmudgeonly Diamond to try on some new hats, mostly ones that he’d rather not—but despite his age and determination to stick to his ways, he has plenty to learn about both himself, and the mystery at hand.

Invisible Helix, by Keigo Higashino | Request Now

This mystery featuring Tokyo-based Detective Galileo was originally published in Japan, but hit the US shelves in 2024. The body of a man who has been shot is found floating in Tokyo Bay. His girlfriend Sonoko had reported him missing the week beforehand, but when detectives go to interview her she is nowhere to be found. This is a planned absence: she’d taken time off work and packed up items from the apartment. When it comes out that Sonoko had been being abused by the murdered man, police assume she was the killer… except that her alibi is airtight. So who wanted her boyfriend killed? As Sonoko continues to evade police and more and more people become potentially connected to the crime, Galileo must weave all of the complex threads together to close to the case.

Jar City, by Arnaldur Indridason | Request Now

This mystery set in Reykjavík transports readers to the unique climate, culture and setting of Iceland. An old man is found dead in his flat, with a note the murderer left behind. But who would want the man killed? He has no family, few friends and kept mostly to himself. Inspector Erlendur is assigned to the case and learns that many years ago the man was accused, but not convicted of, a crime. Has the old man’s past come back to haunt him decades later? As Erlendur digs in, he uncovers a trail of secrets that lead to a much bigger case than just one murder. While the mystery is certainly enough to keep readers engaged, the character development of Erlendur and his colleagues adds additional appeal to this thoughtful mystery. An international sensation, it has sold millions of copies around the globe since its publication in 2004.

Blog Post

Staff Picks: Stream It Now

Tue, 09/30/2025 - 7:05pm by SaraP

Did you know that AADL has over 10,000 documentaries, movies, and videos that you can stream right from our catalog? You can check out our Streaming Video page to find highlights from BBC, PBS, HBO, National Geographic, Discovery, and more. We’ve just launched a pilot with Docuseek, a streaming film distributor that offers thoughtful, beautifully shot, and often award-winning documentaries along with a sprinkling of drama. The full Docuseek collection is available for you to browse and stream from our catalog. Here are some highlights to whet your appetite!

A Crack in the Mountain | Stream Now

Opening with breathtaking views of the largest by volume cave passage in the world, A Crack in the Mountain juxtaposes Hang Son Doong’s natural majesty with man-made enterprise. How do you preserve a natural wonder for future generations of adventurous humans, along with its natural inhabitants, and encourage a tourism industry that provides life-changing opportunities for local people? As part of its discovery in the 1990s, and again in 2009, Hang Son Doong exposed its unique and unspoiled ecosystems to the destructive forces of humans, but the film also sensitively acknowledges the opportunities that tourism brought to a region of Vietnam once devastated by war, malnutrition, and disease. At once a spelunking adventure and a history of Phong Nha, A Crack in the Mountain highlights the complicated relationship humans have with Earth’s most remarkable natural places.

TikTok, Boom. | Stream Now

It’s less than 10 years old, but it's ushered in a whole new style of entertainment, advertising, and political engagement, along with mental health, addiction, censorship, and abuse concerns. It’s not only in the news; it’s reshaping news itself. TikTok is ubiquitous enough to be on millions of people’s smartphones worldwide—capable of giving voice to the voiceless, but also of fueling bias and bullying. In TikTok, Boom., some of the biggest Gen Z creators lay bare their experiences with TikTok, both the good and the bad. Shalini Kantayya’s direction zooms in and out between these content creators, and she explores the history of the company and its complex algorithms for feeding content to viewers. Released in 2022, on the cusp of many of the platform’s legal troubles in the U.S., this examination of America’s—or perhaps the world’s—favorite video app is fascinating.

The True Cost | Stream Now

This 2015 documentary made waves for its exposé on the garment industry. It offers a broad panorama of perspectives and insights into the horrific working conditions and poverty for garment workers who supply the United States and Europe with low-cost clothing. As fast fashion is increasingly scrutinized, the investigative work for The True Cost still feels very relevant even 10 years later. Be aware that the camera does not shy away from images of injury and death among garment workers, but you won’t find gratuitously gory scenes here. They shock audiences just enough to induce compassion and motivate change at consumer and industry levels.

A Shepherd | Stream Now

A Shepherd is a haunting portrait of pastoralism in the French Alps, following a young shepherd as he tends to his flock through long seasons of loneliness, rugged mountain landscapes, and the specter of a wolf stalking him and nearby herds. The filmmaker doesn’t stake claims with the audience. There is no overt call to action or judgment to be made here, and yet watching this quiet film from beginning to end has a perspective-shifting effect that will resonate with viewers interested in nature, the environment, and the disappearing art of living life close to the land. A Shepherd provides an intimate yet cautionary watchfulness to the cinematography, much like the shepherd himself, and gives a striking effect that conjures the otherworldly beauty and starkness of the mountain and pastoralism in practice. The power in this under-the-radar doc lies in its attention not to the spoken word, but to the actions, body language, and daily rhythms of its subjects—shepherd, sheep, and landscape. When words do surface, they are all the more extraordinary in their simplicity.

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