Category: Uncategorized

Studio Ghibli Vibes

If you want Studio Ghibli vibes without watching a movie, this list is for you.

The Tea Dragon Society by K. O’Neill

From the award-winning author of Princess Princess Ever Aftercomes The Tea Dragon Society, a charming all-ages book that follows the story of Greta, a blacksmith apprentice, and the people she meets as she becomes entwined in the enchanting world of tea dragons.

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The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea by Axie Oh

Deadly storms have ravaged Mina’s homeland for generations. Floods sweep away entire villages, while bloody wars are waged over the few remaining resources. Her people believe the Sea God, once their protector, now curses them with death and despair. In an attempt to appease him, each year a beautiful maiden is thrown into the sea to serve as the Sea God’s bride, in the hopes that one day the “true bride” will be chosen and end the suffering.

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Tidesong by Wendy Xu

Sophie, a young witch with uncertain powers, faces pressure from her mother and grandmother to attend the esteemed Royal Magic Academy. Sent to unfamiliar relatives for exam preparation, she finds little magical guidance from Cousin Sage and Great-Aunt Lan. In a desperate solo attempt, Sophie’s spell intertwines her magic with Lir, a young water dragon marooned on land without his memories. While Lir possesses the talents Sophie lacks, helping her excel at the exams, it hinders his quest for recollection. Torn between right and wrong, Sophie must navigate this delicate balance to prove herself.

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Eva Evergreen, Semi – Magical Witch by Julie Abe

Eva Evergreen, with only a trace of magic, faces a crucial challenge: to attain Novice Witch status before her thirteenth birthday, or lose her powers forever. Landing in Auteri, a town in need of a formidable witch, Eva opens a magical repair shop to prove her worth. Despite her limited abilities, Eva’s “semi-magical fixes” transform lives, but when a monumental magical storm threatens Auteri, she must summon all her courage and cleverness to save the town and her dreams of becoming a witch.

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The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery

In the desert, a stranded pilot encounters a remarkable stranger who requests a drawing of a sheep, setting off a profound journey of understanding life’s mysteries. This enchanting fable, “The Little Prince,” imparts timeless wisdom about life’s true priorities, leaving an indelible mark on readers of all ages. With meticulously restored artwork and a new translation, this definitive edition of a beloved worldwide classic continues to captivate hearts around the globe.

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The Cat Who Saved Books by Sosuke Natsukawa

“The Cat Who Saved Books” is a heartwarming tale celebrating the power of books, courage, and compassion. Rintaro inherits his grandfather’s beloved second-hand bookshop, Natsuki Books, finding solace within its towering shelves. When a talking tabby cat named Tiger seeks Rintaro’s aid in a mission to rescue mistreated books, they embark on a series of magical adventures, ultimately culminating in a final, solo rescue mission.

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Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker

In a New England town, Nova Huang navigates the realms of love, family, and witchcraft while working at her grandmother’s spell bookshop. A chance encounter reunites her with Tam Lang, her childhood crush and a wandering werewolf, battling dark forces. As they face occult rituals and unearth untapped magic, their rekindled connection blooms amidst a backdrop of self-discovery and familial bonds in this enchanting tale.

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Female Rage in Fiction

Female rage has gained popularity across all media in recent years. While women’s anger has been used in storytelling for centuries, it often mirrored gender stereotypes and maladaptive types of rage.

These female rage characters showcase adaptive or constructive types of rage. They’re victims of a larger societal issue and enact vengeance on their oppressor. They are willing to get their hands dirty and be their own savior, even if it means they become the villain or are perceived as one. It can also be a means for the character to stand up for themselves or others and provide a sense of empowerment.

Check out one of these novels to experience these complex female characters and the rage they portray.

The Escape Room by Megan Goldin

Thrilling and suspenseful, this debut novel from Goldin takes place in an elevator. You won’t miss the lack of setting, when four cutthroat financiers recognize the elevator has been set up as an escape room and are forced to work together to escape. As the puzzles grow increasingly personal, they realize this may be more than a poorly designed team-building exercise. How much does this have to do with a recently murdered co-worker?

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The Power by Naomi Alderman

An award-winning piece of science fiction, The Power depicts a world taken over by a mysterious force that gives women and girls the power to channel electricity as a weapon. Told from the perspective of several characters from around the world, the novel tackles the question, “What happens when the balance of power shifts?” Will these women be kinder, gentler rulers compared to their male counter parts or will they be just as ruthless?

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The Witch of Tin Mountain by Paulette Kennedy

Set in depression-era Arkansas, blood and power bind three generations of women in the Ozark Mountains. However, so does an evil that’s followed them across the decades. Gracelynn lives with her adoptive granny helping her make cures for their community. When an evangelist arrives and promises prosperity to the town, granny falls into a strange coma. As danger heightens, Gracelynn is forced to choose to flee or confront the preacher whose mission is to destroy her.

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Animal by Lisa Taddeo

Joan has experienced a lot of violence at the hands of men. When one of them commits a shocking act of violence in front of her, she leaves New York City in search of a person who can help her make sense of her past. That person is Alice, and in the hills of Los Angeles, she unravels Joan’s horrific trauma which gives Joan the power to finally strike back.

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Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn

Amy disappeared from her Missouri mansion on her 5th wedding anniversary, and it seems her husband Nick is to blame. He was not a model husband, but he proclaims his innocence even though he doesn’t seem to be telling the entire truth. Twisted and intricately plotted, this story is not just one of a disappearance, but of a marriage gone sour and the toxicity that comes with it.

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A Certain Hunger by Chelsea Summers

Dorothy Daniels is a successful food writer. After accidently killing a lover with her car, she decides to give in to her cannibalistic urges and eats his liver. She then murders every lover moving forward to satiate her need for the unthinkable and to fight against the male dominated industry she works in. Pick up this twisted and violent tale and watch the horrors unfold as Dorothy tells you of her life from her prison cell. *Content warning – graphic sex and violence*

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Supernatural Sensations

Ever feel like something is sitting over your shoulder or you catch something out of the corner of your eye? Or a weird feeling of Deja-vu that you just can’t shake? These titles will make you wish it was that simple and keep you questioning the little things right until the end.

The Tenth Girl by Sara Faring

School is back in session but not for long as strange things begin happening at the remote boarding school, where Mavi, the new teacher, begins teaching. The strangeness takes a malevolent turn when Mavi is roped into a cosmic mystery that will shake the foundation of everything she knows and holds dear.

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Little Heaven : a novel by Nick Cutter

Despite its name, this place is far from a haven unless you consider it a haven for the eldritch horrors that live within. Three would-be strangers are brought together to confront a past that would have apocalyptic consequences if not averted, but are they willing to sacrifice it all to achieve this?

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The Deep by Nick Cutter

A pandemic simply named “The Gets” is spreading across the planet causing people to forget how to do the most basic things including breathing and the only cure is sitting 20,000 leagues under the sea. But this cure may come at a cost too great to bear for one, Luke Nelson, who holds the fate of the world in his hands.

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Those We Drown by Amy Goldsmith

Dive into this story of eerie disappearances, a ship that holds secrets and the three Sirens on board who seem to be able to steer the boat’s operations. Liv’s best friend disappears on their first night aboard their dream semester-at-sea program—but is he really sick, like everyone says, or is something darker lurking beneath the water?

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Where Echoes Die by Courtney Gould

In her sophomore novel Courtney Gould draws readers into the haunting town of Backravel and explores grief, the weight of not letting go of the past, first love, and the bonds between sisters, mothers and daughters. Two sisters travel to an isolated Arizona town to investigate its connection to their mother’s death, but uncover more than they bargained for in this supernatural thriller from the author of The Dead and the Dark.

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Falling for Autumn

Are you ready for Pumpkin Spice season? We know we are! Ring in the chilly season with books that feel as cozy and warm as a Pumpkin Spice Latte. Each book listed comes with food recommendations to get you in the mood for cozy fall vibes.

Legends and Lattes by Travis Baldree

This is THE BOOK to get cozy with. Follow a retired battle ogre as she convinces her community that they need a coffee shop and embarks on a journey to grow friendships. There’s nothing cozier than friendship, coffee, and descriptions of cinnamon rolls. Pair this book with a blanket and hot coffee.

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Brew to Kill by Cleo Coyle

Get cozy with a coffeehouse mystery! This book follows divorcee, Clare Cosi (ha!), as she tries to solve the mystery of a murder that took place right outside her quaint coffee shop. This book goes well with hot black coffee and scones.

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Pumpkin Spice Peril by Jenn McKinlay

What if your cozy coffeehouse’s signature pumpkin spice cupcakes were the last thing a murder victim ate? That’s exactly what happens in this book! I can smell the pumpkin spice cupcakes from the cover. Goes well with—you guessed it!—pumpkin spice cupcakes.

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Pumpkinheads: a graphic novel by Rainbow Rowell

This graphic novel is the fall teen romance you’ve been looking for! This book encapsulates the feeling of being young, in love, and eating all the fall snacks. Goes well with overalls, caramel apples, and pie.

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The Ex Hex by Erin Sterling

“Never mix witchcraft and vodka”—or maybe you should? This silly book is like a grown up version of Sabrina the Teenaged Witch. It has all the fall vibes tied together with a romance and fall festivals. Goes well with vodka, salty popcorn, and hot apple cider.

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The Cider Shop Rules by Julie Anne Lindsey

Setting the scene: it’s autumn, the Fall Festival is nearing, and then the pumpkin farmer is found dead! The owner of the local cider shop must solve this mystery before the blame falls on her. Goes well with hot apple cider, pumpkin pie, and cozy socks.

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A Spoonful of Murder by Connie Archer

Fall is the start of soup season—I don’t make the rules. This book takes place in a soup restaurant and follows the owner solve the mystery of someone that froze to death outside the shop (clearly, the victim needed some hot soup). Enjoy this book with a hot bowl of butternut squash soup, toasty bread, and hot tea.

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National Deaf Awareness Month

September is National Deaf Awareness Month! In this diverse booklist of fiction and non-fiction titles, you’ll find captivating narratives that illuminate the experiences of the Deaf community, offering powerful insights into their culture, challenges, and triumphs. From heartwarming memoirs tracing personal journeys to informative explorations of sign language and communication, these books celebrate the richness of Deaf identity.

Deaf Utopia: A Memoir and a Love Letter to a Way of Life by Nyle DiMarco

Candid and inspiring this is a memoir and a Deaf culture anthem! DiMarco describes growing up in a multigenerational Deaf home and details his work to improve Deaf representation in media. DiMarco has won America’s Next Top Model and works with Neflix both on and off the screen. Throughout the book he immerses readers in the rich dialog of American Sign Language (ASL) and other facets of his culture.

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I’ll Scream Later by Marlee Matlin

You’ve probably seen this actress on screens both big and small. This academy award winning star has done a lot in her career, including being a role model for the Deaf and hard of hearing community. Being a role model comes with challenges, which she outlines in this book along with her stories of growing up Deaf, and her struggles with addiction and abuse.

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El Deafo by Cece Bell

You could totally read this graphic novel with an elementary school kiddo in your life. This award winning inspiring memoir recounts the author’s experience with becoming deaf at age four, the indignities and joys of being Deaf in a hearing community, and how she determined her superpower.

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True Biz by Sara Novic

This book transfers you into life at River Valley School for the Deaf. The story focuses on Charlie, a rebellious transfer student; Austin, the school’s golden boy; and February, the head mistress who is trying to keep the school open and her marriage intact. As a series of crises both personal and political threaten to undo their lives, this trio of characters finds their lives intertwined and changed forever.

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No Excuses: Growing Up Deaf and Achieving my Super Bowl Dreams by Derrick Coleman

Coleman was the first Deaf athlete to play offense in the NFL and won a Super Bowl with the Seattle Seahawks. He recounts his humbling story starting from his childhood in California and doesn’t shy away from discussing his challenges and fears. This inspiring memoir shows how far hard work and determination can get you.

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Fighting in the Shadows: Untold Stories of Deaf People in the Civil War by Harry G. Lang

History buffs get excited. Here’s a unique and previously untold perspective of the American Civil War. This visually rich volume presents Lang’s groundbreaking study of the Deaf experience during this time. He focuses on soldiers and civilians alike, drawing on hundreds of first hand accounts, and pieces together a story of how the Deaf put aside their personal concerns and the discrimination they faced daily, in order to pursue a cause larger than themselves.

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Significant Gestures: A History of American Sign Language by John Tabak

American Sign Language is a unique and beautiful language. Tabak covers the history of this language by starting with its roots in 18^th century France and follows it through to present times. Learn about how the language evolved once it was introduced to Deaf Americans, how schools and other institutions sprung up to allow the Deaf to participate in society, and how fast the language is evolving today.

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Awestruck

At first blush, this list might seem wide-ranging and a little quirky. But hopefully it gets you thinking about those experiences and moments, both big and small, that inspire awe for you personally.

Awe: The New Science of Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner

A professor at the University of California, Berkeley, and co-director of the Greater Good Science Center, Dacher Keltner has spent his professional career researching the social functions of emotion, social perception, and behavior. Some of you may be familiar with his popular podcast, The Science of Happiness. In this book, Keltner takes a deep and personal dive into the emotion of awe and presents new research into this complex and elusive emotion, an emotion that may be difficult to describe but as a species, we know it when we feel it. Raise your hand if you need a little more awe in your life. Yes? Then be sure to give this exploration of “awe” a spin.

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The Power of Moments by Dan and Chip Heath

As humans, we are primed for both the mundane and the sublime moments of daily life. So, how exactly can we define those experiences that jolt us into recognizing something larger than ourselves, or incredible moments that will linger in our minds long after the event that inspired them has passed? And how can we capture the transformative impact of those experiences in order to enrich our interactions with others? Embark on this fascinating journey into the realm of human experience and memory to find out.

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No Time to Spare: Thinking About What Matters by Ursula Le Guin

“How rich we are in knowledge, and in all that lies around us yet to learn. Billionaires, all of us.” Not only was Le Guin a titan of the literary scene over the decades, she was also a droll observer of both the ordinary and extraordinary moments of life. Culled from the blog she began late in life, this book is more than a rumination on the gift of the aging process. It is a keen testament to her sometimes acerbic, but always compassionate, views of the human condition, traversing landscapes ranging from the political to the personal.

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An Immense World: How Animal Senses Reveal the Hidden Realms Around Us by Ed Young

Beetles drawn to fire, turtles that track Earth’s electromagnetic fields, eyes of giant squids that have evolved to see sparkling whales (yes, you heard right, ”sparkling whales”), fish that fill rivers with electrical messages… set aside your human hubris, step outside of your sensory bubble and delve into an amazing world that surrounds us daily. Winner of the Andrew Carnegie Medal, finalist for the Kirkus Prize and the National Book Critics Award and longlisted for the Pen/E.O. Wilson Award, this book is a stunner and will surely elicit awe in even the most jaded of humans.

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Unseen City: The Majesty of Pigeons, the Discreet Charm of Snails and Other Wonders of the Urban Wilderness by Nathanael Johnson

Think you have to escape the city to encounter the awe and wonder around you? Think again! Author Nathanael Johnson set out to explore the local flora and fauna of his urban neighborhood with his young daughter and discovered an alternate universe dotted with hidden mysteries and surprises around every street corner. A delightful lesson in learning to “see” beyond our own sensory tableaus and marvel at the ”awesomeness” of the natural world.

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Little Weirds by Jenny Slate

Okay, so you know how I said this booklist might be a little quirky? Well, this a good example of what I mean by finding awe in the unlikeliest of places…inside of Jenny Slate’s quirky head. Co-creator of Marcel the Shell with Shoes On, star of Obvious Child and former SNL member (not a happy experience by her account), sit back and enjoy this stand-up comedienne’s perspective on life with all of its ups and downs.

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Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age by Katherine May

For most of us, the COVID-19 pandemic was an experience we’d much rather forget. Yet there were some unexpected silver linings that emerged from the pandemic. For Katherine May, author of the well-received Wintering, one of those silver linings was taking time to take a deep breath, slow down and appreciate the small wonders and awe of her daily existence. For those of us who feel similarly emboldened to push aside the avalanche of countless emails, texts, social media, etc., this notion comes as a breath of fresh air. The challenge to change up how we engage with the world around us actually comes as a welcome invitation to “do things a little differently.”

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Wish Amish

Read an Amish fiction or nonfiction book of your choice. Amish fiction is a calm escape from this busy world. Inspirational in content these stories feature Amish characters and communities. Below are some of the titles by popular Amish fiction authors, including some fun nonfiction options. Or select any Amish title of your choosing.

Letters of Trust by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Book one of the “Friendship Letters Series” follows two friends, Eleanor who has recently suffered some family trauma, and Doretta who writes letters to brighten her dark days and offer hope.

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The Orchard by Beverly Lewis

Set in 1970 Lancaster County, the Hostetler family has tended the orchard for generations. That tradition is tested when Ellie’s twin brother Evan is drafted into the Vietnam War. Ellie struggles to understand what her role will be for the family orchard.

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The Courtship Plan by Kathleen Fuller

Book one of the “Amish of Marigold” series. Charity moves to Birch Creek to find a husband but her plans get thwarted by her next door neighbor, Jesse Bontrager.

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The Captive Heart by Dale Cramer

Set in Paradise Valley, Mexico, this Amish fiction title has adventure, danger, and romance. When Caleb Bender’s daughter is kidnapped by bandits he must work with Mexican native Domingo to rescue Rachel.

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The Half-Stitched Amish Quilting Club by Wanda E. Brunstetter

Emma, an Amish widow, offers a quilting class that attracts six unlikely participants. As they stitch their quilts they also work on their problems and differences, and Emma wonders if something more meaningful is happening.

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Simply Amish: An Essential Guide from the Foremost Expert on Amish Life by Donald B. Kraybill

A short, nonfiction book that provides an essential guide to Amish life, culture, and faith. The author has lived, studied, and befriended Amish and he answers questions for those interested in more background.

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Me, Myself, and Pie: More than 100 Simple & Delicious Amish Recipes by Sherry Gore

Yay pie! Tips to making pies in the Amish tradition. The author includes personal stories of Amish life and culture.

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Kanopy Ticketing Changes Starting Nov. 1

I am not always a big fan of change. As previously stated, when Taco Bell changed and stopped offering the Nacho Cheese Chalupa, a part of me died. DIED.

I can only pray that a higher-up at Taco Bell reads the HPLD blog, sees my repeated pleas for this menu item, nay, for this exquisite delicacy, and brings it back.

Anyway, Kanopy is changing, and while change isn’t always good, this change promises to make things a bit easier for those of you who know and love Kanopy.

In basic form, the change is in the credit system. Currently, you get 10 credits every month, and one credit equals one checkout.

Which is simple, but not always the greatest. Why does one episode of a TV show cost the same credits as a 3-hour feature film?

AND, how does an absolute banger like Day of the Dead cost the same number of credits as George Romero’s later Diary of the Dead? Day of the Dead looks at Diary of the Dead and says, “You and me? We are not the same.”

The new ticketing system makes all of this a lot simpler.

For starters, TV Shows:

Currently, you watch ONE episode of Alone, and it costs you one credit. Simple, but flawed. Because who is going to watch ONE episode of a reality show where people encounter bears on the verge of acquiring a taste for human flesh!?

With the new ticketing system, it’s not only clear how much the show “costs,” it’s also made extremely clear what you get. For example, here’s Alone season 1 in the new ticketing system, and you clearly get access to ALL of Season 1 for 48 hours for the cost of 3 tickets. Which means you can try and slam down the entire season in 48 hours, or you can watch, say half now, and then use another set of 3 tickets to watch the other half next weekend.

It’s easy, it’s a lot clearer, and it makes it much easier to binge great shows. #TeamRoland

For movies, you’ll find a varying ticket cost, depending on the movie. But it’s nothing too wild, you won’t have a movie that costs 400 tickets or anything like that.

Lots of folks use Great Courses on Kanopy, and those will work like episodes of shows: You’ll get a clear explanation of how many tickets you put down, and that number will give you access to the course for a set period. Easy.

The short answer: Kanopy decided to change.

The longer answer: this DOES make it a little easier for libraries to manage Kanopy.

Here’s your inside scoop:

The way Kanopy works, HPLD pays them per stream. BUT, not all streams are of equal cost. So, Patron A, who uses all of their credits under the current system, might rack up a $10 dollar cost. Patron B, who has different taste, might rack up a $20 dollar cost.

Where this gets tricky is that, with the old credit system, we can’t necessarily predict what our Kanopy cost is going to be on a given month. We have a range, but it can vary quite a bit depending on the selections you make, the mood you’re in.

With this new system, we still won’t always know exactly what the bill will come out to be, but we can set a ceiling on it. By buying tickets, which have a fixed cost for us, HPLD can be sure what we’re going to spend, at most, every month.

And what’s great about that is that we don’t have to cushion that budget, just in case someone decides to go on a Cult Horror Binge this month. Just say, for the sake of argument…

Instead of needing to leave ourselves a cushion, we can use that money for other things, for other services and collections.

Like I said, I’m not a big fan of change. But when the end result of the change is “more stuff,” I can learn to live with it.

Or, in the case of Day of the Dead: I can UNlive with it.

This change will happen November 1^st!

Humorous Mysteries

Sick of serious mysteries? This curated list of books is designed to tickle your funny bone while keeping you engaged in the puzzling world of mysteries.

The Bandit Queens by Parini Shroff

Greeta is presumed to have killed her husband, and this is helpful to her in some ways and not in others. Greeta is approached by women in her community looking to rid themselves of their abusive husbands and so starts the problems. On the surface this mystery is everything we love, humor, wit, satire, compelling, and thrilling. That being said, there is so much more packed into these pages, women’s rights, abuse, child loss, love, and a slew of other topic faced by women in India.

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Vera Wong's Unsolicited Advice for Murders by Jesse Q. Sutanto

Vera Wong, self-proclaimed tea expert, shop owner and match maker becomes an amateur detective in this charming, funny mystery by the author of Dial A for Aunties. Entertaining and heartwarming, this mystery is sure to delight fans of funny cozy mysteries.

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Finlay Donovan is Killing It by Elle Cosimano

Finlay Donovan is working from home while wrangling two young kids and dealing with the cheating ex-husband with whom she shares custody. As if parenting isn’t hard enough, Finlay is mistaken for a contract killer while out to breakfast with her literary agent. Laugh out loud hilarious, fast-paced, and full of twists with a bit of romance to round out this must read.

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A Bad Day for Sunshine by Darynda Jones

Sunshine Vicram moves home to Del Sol, New Mexico after her parents nominated her for sheriff and she won. With a preconceived notion of what crime will be like in her hometown, Sunshine quickly learns there is more to her hometown than the errant flasher. Darynda Jones writes a phenomenal series of intricate plotting, steamy and suspenseful, great for fans of Janet Evanovich and uproarious mysteries.

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The Eyre Affair by Jasper Fforde

Thursday Next is a renowned Special Operative in literary detection in an alternate London. Thursday is tasked with finding a kidnapper of classic lit characters. Fantasy, mystery, and time come together in this story great for fans of Douglas Adams and Gail Carriger.

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The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

Four retirees living in Kent County, England meet once a week to go over cold case files gotten through less than legal means. These sprightly elderly friends combine their incredible brain power and unique talents to help solve a murder in their community. Funny and witty, fans of quirky characters will love this story.

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Auntie Poldi and the Sicilian Lions by Mario Giordano

Who doesn’t love a larger-than-life amateur sleuth? Auntie Poldi does not disappoint. Retired costume designer Auntie Poldi moves to Sicily after her husband’s death looking to end her days drinking wine in the sun. Things heat up after she meets a handsome young man who shows up dead on the beach. Fans of light mysteries will love this often silly, always witty and engaging story.

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It’s Gettin’ Hot Out Here (So Hot). Let’s Learn About Climate Change.

It is. Getting. So Hot. Let’s learn about climate change.

That reference, most likely, only spoke to my fellow millennial peers, but I digress. Nelly parodies aside, climate change is a pressing issue that affects the entire planet. You may want to learn more about this subject for a variety of reasons, but now you can learn about it AND earn an ARO badge.

What We Know About Climate Change by Kerry Emanuel

Do you feel like you have no idea what climate change is? Emanuel, an MIT atmospheric scientist, has you covered. This authoritative book outlines the basic science of global warming and how the current scientific consensus has emerged. He also outlines the dangers involved with a warming climate, like increased intensity of hurricanes and flooding and more rapidly advancing deserts. This is a well-researched and through look at the climate crisis and is a great starting point on your learning journey.

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Nowhere Left to Go: How Climate Change is Driving Species to the Ends of the Earth by Benjamin Von Brackel

Climate change is often framed through the lens of its damage to earth’s ecosystems. Von Brackel‘s book falls into this category. He looks at the journeys of plants and animals as they find new homes in our warming world. This book outlines the urgency of the climate emergency through the prospect of massive species die-offs. It’s awe-inspiring how the flora and fauna adapt, but soon they’ll be left with no place to go.

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The Great Displacement: Climate Change and the Next American Migration by Jake Bittle

With its compelling writing style and thought-provoking tone, Bittle examines the impact climate change has already had on the American populous. His interviews document the experiences of people impacted by hurricanes, wildfires, soil erosion, flooding, and other disasters caused or worsened by climate change. By analyzing how economic disparity, institutional racism, and other factors contribute to the impacts of climate change, he expertly outlines varying levels of displacement and instability further warming could cause.

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Fire and Flood: A People's History of Climate Change, from 1979 to the Present by Eugene Linden

Award-winning science journalist, Eugene Linden, takes a hard look at the last forty years of climate change. By plotting major events, like when the rise in global temperatures distinguished itself from annual variations, Linden depicts a timeline of major government failures, missed opportunities, and misinformation campaigns. In-depth and expertly researched, Linden punctuates this history by using his analysis of events to provide solutions on what society should do moving forward.

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All Hell Breaking Loose: The Pentagon's Perspective on Climate Change by Michael T. Klare

Feel like you’ve heard every perspective of the climate change issue? Well, have you heard the pentagon’s views on the matter? If not, this book is for you. The military often serves as first responders in natural disasters, so climate change is on their radar. But it also plays into conflicts abroad they may need to respond to. Take a fresh look at this issue through the eyes of the military in this compelling and thought-provoking book.

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Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future by Mary Robinson

Former president of Ireland, Mary Robinson, takes a crack at the climate crisis in this concise and engaging book. She highlights communities across the world that are most affected by climate change, showcasing climate changes’ real consequences. Robinson remains hopeful by providing examples of ordinary people who have stepped up to save the planet.

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The Parrot and the Igloo: Climate and the Science of Denial by David Lipsky

Sobering yet witty and accessible is the best way to describe this entry to the list. Lipsky dives deep into the history of climate change denial. Starting with descriptions of inventors who created the technological advances that inadvertently triggered climate change, he weaves a story of the scientists who discovered climate change and the industry leaders who sought to seed doubt in the name of greed. Best summed up by a LibraryReads review, this book is a “surprising and enlightening look at how easily public perception can be shaped”.

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The Carbon Footprint of Everything by Mike Burners-Lee

Everyone talks about their carbon footprint, but how do know how big yours is? Berners-Lee breaks down commonly purchased items by the amount of carbon they produce. It’s almost like a calorie counting guide, but with carbon! This is the newest edition of the book with updated calculations based on recent research and includes new items like cryptocurrencies.

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The Big Fix: 7 Practical Steps to Save Our Planet by Hal Harvey & Justin Gillis Blurb

While it’s great to make you and your home more environmentally friendly, that’s only a fraction of the climate crisis picture. This is where The Big Fix comes in! In this persuasive, well-researched book, Harvey and Gillis focus on 7 areas where big picture, practical changes can be made: electricity production, transportation, buildings, industry, urbanization, use of land, and investments in green technologies. They also provide a practical guide to get involved on a larger scale to make sure climate-conscious decisions are being made.

Book

Drawdown: The Most Comprehensive Plan Ever Proposed to Reverse Global Warming by Paul Hawken

Rounding out this list is another book with ideas to address this issue. Winning the Green Prize for Sustainable Literature in 2018, Hawken taps into knowledge from 200 scientists, policymakers, business leaders, activists and more to create an accessible list of 100 ideas on combating and reversing climate change. It’s an optimistic and comprehensive look into solutions.

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