This Month's Adult Recommendations:

Bad Monkey by Carl Hiaasen

Librarian Julian says: Hiaasen captures how surreal, illogical, and strange Miami is in his comedy crime novels. This one starts off with a Miami-Dade County police officer who becomes obsessed with keeping a frozen arm in his freezer, which leads him to encounter everyone from medicare fraudsters to Bahamanian voodoo queens. And if that wasn't enough, there's always another twist or turn in Miami...

The Curse of Penryth Hall by Jess Armstrong

Librarian Anne says: This lushly Gothic mystery takes place in England just after World War I, and centers around Ruby, a woman who owns a rare books shop and is called to deliver books to an old friend who seems to be living in a strange and frightening home with her odd husband. When that husband is discovered gruesomely deceased, she must try to solve the mystery to protect her friend, all while surrounded by townsfolks who are convinced she and everyone else at Penryth Hall are cursed to die.

The Raj Quartet by Paul Scott

Librarian Julian says: A collection of his four novels about the end of British Rule in India, the Raj Quartet is set around the love story of an English woman with an upper-class, English-educated Indian officer. Rife with historical detail and more engaging than a nonfiction volume, it's an opportunity to learn about the time period through dramatic and enticing stories about the kinds of people who lived through it.

This Month's Children's Recommendations:

Colorful Mondays: A Bookmobile Spreads Hope in Honduras by Nelson Rodriguez & L.A. Montes
(Ages 5-9)

Librarian LeAnn says: This picture book tells the story of a child in Honduras whose world fills with color each week when the bookmobile arrives. Based on a true story, the colorful painting-like illustrations begin in a dull blue depicting difficult times in Honduras, then pages gradually become filled with color as the bookmobile and the stories it carries change the narrative for the children of this small town. A wonderful read for anyone who loves the power of stories.

Cleopatra in Space by Mike Maihack
(Ages 8-12)

Librarian LeAnn says: You might know the TV show, but did you know it started as a graphic novel? This action-packed story tells the tale of a young Egyptian queen with a shocking twist! Join Cleopatra, her friends, and (of course) her cat on the adventure of a lifetime, 30,000 years in the future, where anything can happen and the only rules are to experience an exciting adventure. Epic artwork combines with a great story to create a whole series of fun reads.

Dragon Ops by Mari Mancusi
(Ages 8-12)

Librarian LeAnn says: The online world and the real world collide head-on in this exciting adventure about fun, friendship, and video games. Three beta-testers are imersed in the world's first fully augmented-reality video game, but when the game becomes too real, they find themselves trapped in the digital world. This book is perfect for both video gameres and adventure lovers, as the kids race against time and technology to find their way home again.