Blog Entries

The Funeral Ladies of Ellerie County
By Claire Swinarski
Adult Fiction

This atmospheric novel revolves around two families in small town Northwoods Wisconsin. Based on the title and cover, I was expecting a cozy read, but Swinarski took her characters into some deeper and darker territory than I was expecting.

Whenever there is a funeral at St. Anne’s parish in Ellerie, the funeral ladies cook up a storm. They believe that grieving families shouldn’t have to worry about cooking, so they load mourners up with enough food for the bereavement dinner and days a...

Icarus
By K. Ancrum
Young Adult Fiction

In Icaras by K. Ancrum, two boys living in different types of prisons embark on a journey toward freedom that begins with their fateful encounter.

Seventeen year old Icarus lives in a gloomy and joyless house with his father Angus.  At his father’s behest, he breaks into a nearby mansion owned by Mr. Black, stealing priceless works of art and replacing them with fakes impeccably produced by his father.  The scheme is Angus’s attempt to seek revenge for Mr. Black’s role in his own wife’s death.  Icarus h...

The Wager: A Tale of Shipwreck, Mutiny and Murder

By David Grann
Adult NonFiction

I was excited to read David Grann’s The Wager, but I was especially excited when I discovered I could snag an e-audiobook copy from Libby. As far as research goes, this book was researched flawlessly. It’s packed with 1700s history, but never once felt heavy or dry with information. Grann gives us the voyage of the Wager: how this beast of a ship and its crew traveled the Drake Passage, how it endlessly endured until its very last demise. We see the characters come to li...

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide 

By Rupert Holmes
Adult Fiction

Murder Your Employer: The McMasters Guide to Homicide by Rupert Holmes takes readers on a thrilling journey back to the 1950s, where a prestigious college for aspiring murderers sets the stage for intrigue and dark humor. Step into the halls of The McMasters Conservatory for the Applied Arts, a luxurious institution shrouded in secrecy, where students learn the fine art of dispatching their deserving targets.  

In this retro setting, Holmes crafts a ...

April is National Poetry Month and to celebrate, the Public Libraries of Saginaw is welcoming you to submit to our Poetry Contest! Whether you write in rhyme, converse in couplets, scrawl in sonnets or frolic with free verse, we want to see  your best work!

Teens (ages 13-17) and Adults (18+) can submit their work to https://saginawlibrary.librariesshare.com/saginawpoetry between April 1-30. Winners will be selected by judges Colleen Alles and Maureen Hart from the Friends of Roethke.

Poetry submissions will only be accepted online.ONE POEM PER PERSON may be submitt...

The Lost Library
By Rebecca Stead & Wendy Mass
Children’s Fiction

This story is about a little free library that is guarded by a fluffy orange cat named Mortimer. The beautiful cover pulls you in and makes you want to know more.  You will not be disappointed!  It has been written for children but adults will enjoy this book also.

This is an endearing  mystery told by a boy named Evan, a cat and a ghost librarian.   A little free library appears suddenly in a small town right in front of the historical museum.  Everyone is s...

Chinese Menu: The History, Myths, and Legends Behind Your Favorite Foods
By Grace Lin
Children’s Nonfiction

Who doesn’t love egg rolls, sizzling rice soup and General Tso’s Chicken?

Author and artist Grace Lin grew up eating authentic Chinese food cooked by her immigrant mother – but she also loved Americanized Chinese food from her favorite restaurants. This 288-page, lavishly illustrated, “story feast” breaks down the menu at a typical American Chinese restaurant, telling the reader how each dish got its name, where it came from, and how it is t...

Hurt You
by Marie Myung-Ok Lee
Young Adult Fiction

 

Hurt You is narrated by Korean-American teenager Georgia Kim.  Her older brother Leo is neurodivergent, which sometimes causes seizures, socially inappropriate behavior, and violent meltdowns.  The family has moved from the city to suburban Sunnyvale for a school district that supposedly has a great program for special needs students.  The family now has their own house and lots of room, but Georgia aches for the true sense of community she felt in their urban apartment. Georgia is thr...

Our Bookmobile is on the move, bringing mobile services to partner agencies all around Saginaw! And we're currently looking to add more stops to our regular routes.

Bookmobile stops are scheduled once a month and typically last an hour, during which patrons can sign up for a library card, check out books and Chromebooks, get help accessing the library’s ebook collections and return library materials.

Unlike Bookmobiles of the past, the current Public Libraries of Saginaw Mobile Outreach Vehicle is designed to transport books but not be a self-contained unit. “Setting up ...

Remarkably Bright Creatures
by Shelby Van Pelt
Adult Fiction

This debut novel from Shelby Van Pelt is a beautiful story, full of feel-good moments and a whole lot of life lessons. The story is alluringly sensitive, building on your heart piece by piece. The narration is partially given from a giant Pacific octopus named Marcellus McSquiddles. Through his perspective we see real human feeling, emotion and even some mischief (the octopus can pick locks, sneak out of his tank, and go for late night snack runs…all amazing and hilarious).

In another central pers...

Plants to the Rescue!
By Dr. Vikram Baliga
Illustrated by Brian Lambert
Children’s Nonfiction

 

Plants to the Rescue! by Dr. Vikram Baliga and illustrated by Brian Lambert is a remarkable book that shines a spotlight on the author's profound passion for the plant kingdom. This book is a captivating journey into the world of plants and their incredible abilities to heal, nourish, and rejuvenate our planet.

Brian Lambert's illustrations complement Dr. Baliga's narrative beautifully, bringing the wonder of plants to life with vibrant and ...

The Eyes & The Impossible
By Dave Eggers
Children’s Fiction
Recommended for ages 8-12

This is an outstanding adventure story and one of my top favorite reads.  It is written for children but adults will also enjoy this title immensely. Animal lovers will especially like this story. It is compelling and heartfelt.  

It is written from the perspective of the animals that live in an expansive park, with Johannes the dog as the main character.  Johannes is the eyes for the other animals in the great park. He gives daily reports...

The Seven Year Slip
By Ashley Poston
Adult Fiction

The Dead Romantics by Ashley Poston was one of my favorite reads of 2022, so I was hoping for good things from her follow-up. I was not disappointed in this story of time slips and second chances.

Clementine always had a special bond with her artistic Aunt Analea. When the two of them weren’t off exploring the world together, Clementine spent a lot of time at Analea’s magical New York City apartment. Sometimes, one could walk in the door and slip into a moment seven years in the past, but Analea always wa...

Ab(Solutely) Normal:  Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes
edited by Nora Shalaway Carpenter and Rocky Callen
Young Adult Fiction

A vampire learns that he alone can save his town from destruction, but is not sure he can do so, because this act would involve being “seen,” and he suffers from social anxiety.  A girl pours her heart out in letters to the ex-boyfriend she still loves, explaining that their breakup stemmed from her struggle with PMDD.  A boy teased for his uncontrollable crying is befriended by a strong girl who is the victim of b...

Pineapple Street by Jenny Jackson

Honestly, it was the cover of Jenny Jackson’s debut novel Pineapple Street that captured me initially. It had a Great Gatsby feel and, from the first couple of pages, I could tell it was a very character-driven story. The characters weren’t ones I expected though. In fact, they were kind of annoying. Why did you keep reading? Well, the characters were so laughable, so totally not-relatable (except to maybe the wealthiest of New York City), that my reading journey felt like an escapist funhouse. I couldn’t put the book down.

In Pineapple ...