Beth’s Books - January & February

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 

  • The Very Last Castle by Travis Jonker
    In the middle of a small town, very much like any other, stands THE VERY LAST CASTLE. No one ever comes out and certainly no one ever comes in. But a very curious girl named Ibb wonders what is behind the castle door. The townspeople assume the worst - maybe monsters or giants or snakes? Ibb is the only one fearless enough to find out. The Very Last Castle is a timeless tale about overcoming fears, making new friends and a celebration of bravery. The illustrations are perfect for the text. Preschool-2nd grade.

• JUVENILE FICTION

  • City Spies by James Ponti

    A series of books about 5 kids from various parts of the world who are a part of a secret MI6 agency (the British Intelligence Service) operating out of a base in Scotland. When not attending the local boarding school, they are honing their unique skills such as sleight of hand, breaking and entering, observation and explosives. All of these skills allow them to go places in the world of espionage where adults can’t. Ingeniously plotted, these books will keep middle-school readers glued to the page.

• ADULT FICTION

  • The Killing Stones by Ann Cleeves
    Set in the beautiful Scottish Orkney islands, this is a gripping mystery about Detective Jimmy Perez. He is presented with an all too personal case. One winter night his oldest and closest friend, Archie Stout, goes missing. Perez arrives on the remote island of Westray to a shocking scene: Archie’s body discovered in an archaeological dig site. Beside him is a Neolithic stone, clearly the murder weapon. With each new lead, the trail becomes more twisted and Perez wonders if he will ever find out what happened to his friend. Cleeves keeps readers guessing until she delivers a gutting climatic reveal that few will see coming. This is a first-rate mystery full of historical detail and descriptions of a beautiful place.

• ADULT NON-FICTION

  • The Salt Stones: Seasons of a Shepherd’s Life by Helen Whybrow
    In the heart of Vermont’s Green Mountain, Helen Whybrow and her partner set out to restore an old 200 acre farm. “But soon after releasing a flock of Icelandic sheep onto the worn out fields, Whybrow realizes that the art of shepherding extends far beyond the flock and fences of Knoll Farm.” The shepherd’s life unfolds for Whybrow in the seasons and cycles of farming and family - birthing lambs, fending off coyotes, rescuing lost sheep in a storm and raising children. “Evocative, affectionate and illuminating, The Salt Stones sings of a way of life that is at once ancient and entirely contemporary.”