Beth’s Books - April

Each month, Beth Withers, one of our library volunteers, shares the newest books that have been added to our church library this past month. For more information on our library click here.

• PICTURE BOOK

  • Knight Owl by Christopher Denise
    Ever since he was hatched, Owl has dreamed of becoming a real knight. He may not be the biggest or strongest but he is smart and determined. When a number of knights go missing, Owl, after training at knight school, guards the castle at night. Late one evening a hulking and very hungry dragon shows up and Owl must use his wits to avoid meeting a horrible end. “Full of wordplay and optimism, this surprising display of bravery proves that cleverness (and friendship) can rule over brawn.” The sepia toned illustrations add a medieval feel to the story. For ages 4-8. A Caldecott Honor book. Recommended by Beth’s sister, also a former librarian, and proud grandmother of three small granddaughters.

• JUVENILE FICTION

  • How to Cheat a Dragon’s Curse: the Heroic Misadventures of Hiccup the Viking by Cressida Cowell

    In this sidesplitting adventure, Hiccup Horrendously Haddock III must rescue his best friend, Fishlegs, from a deadly disease. The only cure is a potato! But where can Hiccup find such a thing? He will have to battle Sharkworms and Doonfangs and outwit crazy Hooligans if he can be a hero and save Fishlegs! A fast paced plot, slapstick humor and witty dialogue enhances this exciting tale. For ages 8-12.

• ADULT FICTION

  • To Kill a Cook by W. M. Akers
    “A fizzy, hilarious whodunnit about a fierce-but-lovable food critic who finds her chef friend murdered and realizes she might be the only one to find the killer.” Author Rob Hart says that he has “never been so hungry reading a book, but it is hard to grab a snack when you’re glued to the pages”.

• ADULT NON-FICTION

  • The Gales of November: the Untold Story of the Edmund Fitzgerald by John U. Bacon
    “At the height of America’s postwar boom, no region was more vital to the nation’s economic strength than the Great Lakes. It was the beating heart of the global economy-possessing all the power and prestige that Silicon Valley enjoys today.” No vessel had been better designed to sail the waters of the Great Lakes than the SS Edmond Fitzgerald. At 75 feet wide and 729 feet long, the Mighty Fitz was the largest ship on the lakes. But on November 16, 1975, when the “storm of the century” threw 100-mile-an-hour winds on Lake Superior, the Mighty Fitz sank with all 29 men onboard. Award-winning journalist John U. Bacon “presents the definitive account of the disaster, drawing on more than 100 interviews with the families, friends, and former crewmates of those lost…The Gales of November is both an emotional tribute to the Fitzgerald’s captain and crew and a propulsive, page-turning narrative history of America’s most-mourned shipwreck.”