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FOR ADULTS:

“The All-American” by Joe Milan Jr.

Bucky is your average American 17-year-old. He lives in a trailer with his mom and his brother. A running back for high school football, Bucky’s dream is to be scouted for a full ride scholarship so he can escape his small town and humble beginnings. There is only one thing holding him back. It turns out he’s not actually American. When Bucky gets into some trouble and is taken in by police, he finds out the citizenship paperwork his parents filled out never went through. It doesn’t matter that Bucky has lived in the U.S. since he was 2 years old or that he doesn’t speak any Korean. In the eyes of the law, Bucky is Korean. There is not much he can do to fight back, and so Bucky finds himself deported back “home” to South Korea, where he experiences a dizzying introduction to Korean society. This is one of my favorite books I have read in 2023 – it is darkly humorous and truly compelling. Bucky’s journey is amazing, and the story is compelling and completely plausible. Follow Bucky as he navigates his new reality, and finds something he didn’t even know he was looking for.

– Rebekah Noggle, librarian

FOR KIDS:

“Charlie Thorne and the Last Equation” by Stuart Gibbs

When the CIA recruits you to try and solve a decades-old Einsteinian equation, you can either comply or escape. Charlie Thorne, a 12-year-old super genius and thief, chooses to do all the above. She is globetrotting with two operatives one minute, outwitting Israeli Mossad agents the next. All this intrigue is in search of an equation that can solve the world’s energy crisis – or create the next weapon on par with a nuclear bomb. Charlie’s mission: to uncover the equation before it falls into the wrong hands. See how Charlie uses brain power to solve problems, using historical facts and clues about Albert Einstein that her team uncovers. This book is perfect for kids that loved Alex Rider and adults that love Jason Bourne. If you like reading about Charlie’s thrilling adventures, there are more books to explore in this series. Follow along to the Galapagos Islands and learn about Charles Darwin, or visit Cleopatra in Egypt while Charlie saves the world, again and again.

– Margaux Morrone, librarian