Grab a Find a picnic blanket, grab a book and head outside! Here are two recommendations for your May reading list, courtesy of the y. librarians at Geneva Public Librar
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FOR YOUR KIDS OR GRANDKIDS: “Prairie Lotus” by Linda Sue Park
FOR OUR READERS: “Once Upon a River” by Diane Setterfield
For a fresh and fascinating perspective on the pioneer experience, check out “Prairie Lotus” by Linda Sue Park, which tells the story of Asian immigrants in 1880s America. The author loved the “Little House on the Prairie” series when she was growing up, but as an Asian American, she never saw girls like herself in books about life in the old West. Fourteen-year-old Hanna, the daughter of a Chinese immigrant mother and white father, moves from Los Angeles to the Dakota Territory. She dreams of going to school, becoming a dressmaker and helping her father in his dry goods store. However, in their new town, horrific racism threatens to leave her with no friends. Her father isn’t sure what to do, but he knows he doesn’t want her to help out in his store. Life on the frontier is tough for anyone, but Hanna seems to have all the odds stacked against her. It will take guts, determination and ingenuity for Hanna to create the future she wants for herself. Hanna is a wonderful role model, and readers learn more about what life was like for frontier women. This inspiring historical fiction novel suitable for readers in grades 5 and up reveals previously untold stories from our history. — Kylie Peters, librarian
“Once Upon a River” by Diane Setterfield is a mystery unlike any other. On a restless and stormy night, a wounded stranger enters the local inn carrying what appears to be a large bundle. He explains to those gathered for an evening of drink and storytelling that he found the bundle in the Thames River. When he opens the bundle, he discovers the lifeless body of a small girl. No one knows the identity of the man, or the girl he plucked from the river. And this incident seems like a tragedy — until hours later, when the girl takes a deep breath. Is it a miracle or something more nefarious? Who is the girl, and where did she come from? She is unable to tell them, and there are three families ready to claim her as their own missing child. The path to the truth will draw out longburied secrets that shake the worlds of these families. Steeped deep in folklore, this book asks readers to challenge their beliefs of what is possible. Setterfield is a master of tension and subtly pulls her narrative between logic, scientific evidence and the belief that there could be something darker at work in the world. This book is perfect for fans of Agatha Christie and readers who enjoy the otherworldly feeling of fairy tales. — Rebekah Noggle, librarian
ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT MAY 2021
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4/21/21 4:14 PM
