Award Winner

Library Wins State, Local Awards

Shannon Bowman-Sarkisian was selected as the winner of the Indiana Library Federation (ILF) 2019 Outstanding Library Staff Award for her work on increasing Library access for domestic violence survivors.

After years of working in west coast bookstores and developing a specialty in rare books, Shannon is now studying to be a librarian at Indiana University and working as an Information Assistant at the Library. Shannon was awarded the Friends of the Library Pioneer Grant in February, which she used to start Creating Access for Violence Survivors (CAVS). Read more about Library Wins State, Local Awards

Posted by Mandy H. on September 30, 2019

Award Winner

Information, Answers & Reviews

Staff Picks: Garvey's Choice

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Reviewed by Alex G.

Garvey loves reading and singing, but he's a little awkward and doesn't have too many friends. Even at home, his family doesn't quite get him. To cope with his feelings, Garvey turns to food as a source of comfort.

But when his best friend encourages him to join choir, Garvey may finally have found a place to belong and shine.

Garvey's Choice is a beautifully written novel in verse. Nikki Grimes does a wonderful job of telling the story of a boy trying to relate to to the people around him and the way she writes Garvey's attempts at a relationship with his father is so real and, at times, heartbreaking. The poetry format of this novel make it a quick read and a great reading suggestion for reluctant readers.

Try Garvey's Choice is you like moving realistic fiction.

Posted by Alejandria G. on December 3, 2018

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think

Spotlight on the Newbery Medal

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It's that time of year for cheering on our favorite children's books—the 2018 ALA Youth Media Awards are upon us. On February 12, the best of the best books, videos, and other media for children and teens are announced at the American Library Association's annual conference, and we'll be here at the Library watching. Among the popular and prestigious awards given at the event are the Coretta Scott King Book Award, the Randolph Caldecott Medal, and others. Read more about Spotlight on the Newbery Medal

Posted by Alejandria G. on January 31, 2018

The Graveyard Book

Last Stop on Market Street

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think

Winner of the 2017 Rosie Award: All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven

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The Eliot Rosewater Indiana High School Book Award winner for 2017 is All the Bright Places by Jennifer Niven. Winners are decided by Indiana high school students who choose from twenty-five nominated titles [PDF]. This year's honor titles are Cory Doctorow's In Real Life and Through the Woods by Emily Carroll.

Trust us: you'll love All the Bright Places! Its publisher describes it this way:

Posted by Becky F. on May 18, 2017

All the Bright Places

Award Winner

Indiana

Teens

March: Book 3 by John Lewis

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Winner of the 2017 Michael L. Printz Award, the 2017 Coretta Scott King Author Award, the 2017 Sibert Medal, and several other awards, March: Book 3 by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, and Nate Powell is a monumental feat of storytelling that is a must-read. March: Book 3 is the final installment in a graphic novel trilogy that chronicles the Civil Rights Movement in the American South from the perspective of John Lewis. This book follows the Civil Rights Movement from the Selma to Montgomery march to the passage of the Civil Rights Act, chronicling the trials and tribulations the protestors faced during this time. Chock full of text, explanations, and history, March: Book 3 illustrates the human need for freedom and equality. At once deeply personal, as we see much from Lewis’s perspective, and highly detached as the broader frictions in the movement are revealed and the enormous struggle the movement overcame are presented. Read more about March: Book 3 by John Lewis

Posted by Sam O. on February 28, 2017

Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

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Winner of the 2017 Stonewall Book Award for Children's and Young Adult Literature, Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor marks Rick Riordan’s return to the world of Asgard. Picking up right after their triumph at the end of the previous story, Magnus Chase and company must now retrieve Thor’s hammer, Mjolnir, before the giants invade and destroy Earth. So overall, just your average day really. Filled with Riordan’s trademark research, interpretative genius, and wit, The Hammer of Thor will satisfy die-hard fans and likely make some new ones, as he tackles issues of race, religion, representation, and gender. Read more about Magnus Chase and the Hammer of Thor by Rick Riordan

Posted by Sam O. on February 11, 2017

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think

The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

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Winner of the 2017 Newberry Medal, The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill is a must read for any fans of fairy tales and fantasy. Barnhill weaves together pieces of many genres, creating a story reminiscent of classic fairy tales, yet at the same time all its own. The many elements this story explores are difficult to adequately explain, but let it suffice to say that at its heart, The Girl Who Drank the Moon is a story about the power of love and family (both born and chosen) and illustrates the very best that fairy tale and fantasy storytelling has to offer. Read more about The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill

Posted by Sam O. on January 25, 2017

The Girl Who Drank the Moon

Oh, the Thinks You Can Think

Scythe by Neal Shusterman

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Death has been defeated and world peace achieved. With the guidance of Artificial Intelligence, humanity has ushered in a utopia…. mostly. In Scythe, Neal Shusterman posits that AI has evolved into an omniscient (and omnibenevolent) force called the Thunderhead, through which the world has achieved a true and lasting peace. The Thunderhead controls everything, but unlike many dystopian works, this is a miraculous and profoundly beneficial event. The only power that the Thunderhead does not possess is the ability to take life. That responsibility is assigned to Scythes, who roam the world utilizing quotas to randomly glean (aka kill) in order to keep earth’s population in check. Read more about Scythe by Neal Shusterman