Bake Sale by Sara Varon
Recommended by senior librarian Kathryn Zimmerman for children
Cupcake bakes delicious desserts at the Sweet Tooth Bakery. In his spare time, he plays drums in a band with best friend Eggplant. When Eggplant plans a trip to Turkey, Cupcake is invited along to meet his baking idol, Turkish Delight. To pay for the trip, Cupcake holds bake sales throughout the city. Recipes are included in this charming graphic novel about friendship (and baking).
Shelter: A Mickey Bolitar Novel by Harlan Coben
Recommended by librarian Ann Pieri for teens
Mickey, 15, must live with his uncle after a family tragedy. He’s getting used to his new high school and even has a girlfriend, Ashley, until she vanishes overnight. Determined to find her, Mickey and his new friends start following clues that lead them into seedy neighborhoods and shops where danger lurks everywhere. Coben’s first thriller for teens races forward with the same exhilarating suspense as his adult bestsellers featuring Mickey’s uncle, Myron Bolitar.
Joy for Beginners by Erica Bauermeister
Recommended by associate librarian Susan Cooper for adults
Having survived cancer with the support of six close friends, Kate hosts a dinner party for them to show her appreciation. When they challenge her to go whitewater rafting in the Grand Canyon, she accepts, but with one condition. Each of them must face a challenge of their own. While they have been watching over her, she has also been watching them and knows what each needs to begin to live their lives again, with joy.
