We're not ready to say goodbye to the long days and good books of summer yet—just check out the wealth of recommended reads below!—but we're also excited for a fall packed with author visits, book discussions, Maker Monday classes, and so much more. Mark your calendar for events with bestselling novelist Allen Eskens (September 11), true-crime writer Joe Kimball (October 9), award-winning author Chris McCormick (October 16), historical performer Chad Lewis (October 23), and New York Times bestseller William Kent Krueger (November 13). Stay tuned for more details!

We can't believe our summer of "Trails & Tales" is almost done! Children who've completed the 2021 Summer Reading Program can stop by the library between August 2 and August 14 to pick up their completion prize—and be entered into one of our grand-prize drawings. Plus, we've got a few final events happening before we wrap things up—we hope to see you there!

• August 3 at 3:30pm, Mapleton Library Park: UM's Raptor Center
• August 10 at 3:30pm, Mapleton Library Park: Peter Bloedel's Variety Show
• August 11 at 9:30am, Amboy City Park: Library in the Park
• August 11 at 1:00pm, Marston Park in Lake Crystal: Library in the Park

 

Get "social" with us, why don't you? We're on social media—and if you are too, we'd like to be friends! Find the BECLS on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to learn what new books are hitting our shelves, read recommended articles, participate in prize giveaways and other challenges, and get a little dose of the library from the comfort of your home (or phone).

A Song Everlasting | Ha Jin

From the universally admired, National Book Award-winning, bestselling author of Waiting comes a timely novel that follows a famous Chinese singer severed from his country, as he works to find his way in the United States. Moving, important, and strikingly relevant to our times, A Song Everlasting is a story of hope in the face of hardship from one of our most celebrated authors.

What Strange Paradise | Omar El Akkad

From the bestselling author of American War, a new novel—beautifully written, unrelentingly dramatic, and profoundly moving—that looks at the global refugee crisis through the eyes of a child. What Strange Paradise is the story of two children finding their way through a hostile world. But it is also a story of empathy and indifference, of hope and despair—and about the way each of those things can blind us to reality.

The Ground Breaking | Scott Ellsworth

A riveting and essential new book, The Ground Breaking not only tells the long-suppressed story of the notorious Tulsa Race Massacre. It also unearths the lost history of how the massacre was covered up, and of the courageous individuals who fought to keep the story alive. Both a forgotten chronicle from the nation's past, and a story ripped from today's headlines, The Ground Breaking is a page-turning reflection on how we, as Americans, must wrestle with the parts of our history that have been buried for far too long.

Seek You | Kristen Radtke

There is a silent epidemic in America: loneliness. Shameful to talk about and often misunderstood, loneliness is everywhere, from the most major of metropolises to the smallest of towns. With her distinctive, emotionally-charged drawings and deeply empathetic prose, Kristen Radtke masterfully shines a light on some of our most vulnerable and sublime moments, and asks how we might keep the spaces between us from splitting entirely.

A Complicated Love Story Set in Space |
Shaun David Hutchinson

Black Mirror meets What If It’s Us in this gripping, romantic, and wildly surprising novel about two boys lost in space trying to find their way home—while falling in love—from the critically acclaimed author of We Are the Ants. When Noa closes his eyes on Earth and wakes up on a spaceship called Qriosity just as it’s about to explode, he’s pretty sure things can’t get much weirder. But nothing is what it seems on Qriosity—and love is complicated enough without also trying to stay alive.

The Littlest Voyageur | Margi Preus

In this finalist for the Minnesota Book Award, a red squirrel stows away on a canoe to fulfill his dream of joining a group of voyageurs–men who paddle canoes filled with goods to a trading post thousands of miles away. Written by a Newbery honor author, The Littlest Voyageur has over 20 black-and-white illustrations by Cheryl Pilgrim.

Home Is Not a Country | Safia Elhillo

From the  acclaimed poet featured on Forbes Africa’s “30 Under 30” list, this powerful novel-in-verse captures one girl, caught between cultures, on an unexpected journey to face the ephemeral girl she might have been. Woven through with moments of lyrical beauty, this is a tender meditation on family, belonging, and home.

Maya and the Robot | Eve L. Ewing

From the award-winning author comes an illustrated middle grade novel about a forgotten homemade robot who comes to life just when aspiring fifth-grade scientist Maya needs a friend—and a science fair project. In this touching novel, Eve L. Ewing melds together a story about community, adapting to change, and the magic of ingenuity that reminds young readers that they can always turn to their own curiosity when feeling lost.

Ariadne | Jennifer Saint

"A great read for those interested in the stories of women in Greek mythology that we don't often hear about. The author creates a powerful voice for Ariadne of Crete and tells her story through a new perspective."

Intimacies | Katie Kitamura

"A haunting, elegant novel about a woman working as a language interpreter for a war criminal at an international court and the uneasy sense of violence and power at work around her."

The Great Mistake | Jonathan Lee

"A beautifully written, thoroughly engaging look at turn-of-the-last-century New York through the life of the man who created so many of the city's most stunning features, including Central Park. Witty, moving, and evocative."

All Along You Were Blooming |
Morgan Harper Nichols

"This feel-good book is excellent for practicing self-affirmation skills. This book presents short poems and haikus that remind you that we are all human and should be kind to ourselves."

A Ghost in the Throat | Doireann Ní Ghoríofa

"An intimate, intricate account of the author's reading, writing, translating, and mothering—which have more in common than they might seem—as she explores the work of an eighteenth-century Irish poet."

Stranger Care | Sarah Sentilles

"This memoir of the author's attempt to adopt a child through Idaho's foster care system will break your heart. The book is wrenching, devastating, inspiring, and incredibly wise."

This month, we're spotlighting two great organizations! The Salvation Army is holding a Back to School Community Event on August 5 from 11am to 3pm, where students can receive backpacks, sneakers, and certificates for school clothing—and books, thanks to the donations of our wonderful BECLS community!


The BECLS will also be sharing books and spreading the love at the Love in Mankato event at Sibley Park on August 22 from 10am to 3pm. This event includes free clothing, diapers, school supplies, games, bounce houses, live performances, face painting, BBQ, and so much more!