A Man Called Ove

 By Fredrik Backman

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Heidi from the Winkler Branch

Trigger Warning: This book discusses grief, loss and suicide.

    A Man Called Ove is Fredrik Backman's first and highly beloved novel about a grumpy old man navigating the loss of his wife.  Ove is a bitter, forced retiree who spends his days enforcing neighbourhood association rules that nobody cares about and criticizing people's lives.  This attitude has left him with very few friends and with the loss of his wife, he shuts out the world completely.  That is, until a boisterous couple moves in next door and runs over his mailbox.  In a no driving zone!  This couple throws a wrench in his plans and completely ruins his scheduled life.  The process of Ove embracing life again is sweet, heart breaking, and laugh out loud funny.  By the end of it, you may even want to embrace the curmudgeons in your life a little more warmly.

    This book has been made into two movies.  A Man Called Ove released in 2015 in Swedish and A Man Called Otto starring Tom Hanks, released this year.

To place this book on hold, click here.

My Heart Fills With Happiness

 By Monique Gray Smith

Illustrated by Julie Flett

Beginner Easy

Reviewed by Britany from the Winkler Branch   

Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Favourite Line: "What fills YOUR heart with happiness?"

    I like this line because it really opens up the conversation with your children to practice mindfulness and gratitude.  Not only that, you'll be able to bond with your child as you talk about any other interests they have that may be unknown.

    This book is also written with focus in Indigenous culture which is cool for anyone like myself, who is interested in learning about other cultures.  Highly recommended for other parents!

To place this book on hold, click here.

Milk and Honey

 By Rupi Kaur    

Adult Non-Fiction

Reviewed by Nyomi-Library Patron

    Rupi Kaur's book of poetry milk and honey is a tempest of emotions.  Her poems explore romance, healing, femininity,  and self-love.

    Written in a style unique to Rupi Kaur and illustrated with simple line drawings that are as complicated as the poetry, milk and honey left me in awe at the way words can create such brilliance.

As written in milk and honey:

"for you to see beauty here does not mean

there is beauty in me

it means there is beauty rooted so deep within you

you can't help but see it everywhere"

To place this book on hold, click here

Bookland Explorers: Space

 It's that time of year again!  Our Bookland Explorers summer reading program started up again on July 4. This year's theme is space and our library staff have been busy transforming our libraries with fun space themed decorations.  For every hour they read, kids get space credits to use in our store and draw tickets for our weekly book draw.  

    In honour of this year's theme, we thought we'd put together a list of books all about space for you to check out to learn more about galaxies far far away!  This is only a small sampling of the books we have about space, so check out your local branch for more titles!  Remember to click on the book title to place the book on hold in our catalogue or see your local branch for more information.  Let us know in the comments what your favourite books about space are!

Boldly Go

In this novel for middle readers, fourteen-year-old Houston is on his way to the International Space Station as part of a secret NASA study.

Spacebusters

Young children can harness their reading superpowers as they blast off into space along with Apollo 11, to learn about the astronauts, the spacecraft, the science and the very first Moon walk.

A Star Explodes

Supernovae explosions are relatively rare in our galaxy, and so the few that are recorded in historical documents take on special meaning. This is a story about a supernova that appeared in the year 1054 and the Crab Nebula remnant that was created by that explosion. The supernova of 1054 was one of the brightest supernova events recorded in history. And its remnant, the Crab Nebula, is still studied today. The story begins at the moment of a supernova explosion that occurred roughly 6000 to 6500 years ago. The narrative then travels forward in time to the year 1054, when a young astronomer and the people of the Chinese court see the light of this supernova appear suddenly in Earth's sky. They called this light a "guest star." After a couple of years, when the light of the guest star fades, the story takes the reader into deep space to see the remnant of this supernova -- the Crab Nebula -- followed by a continuing trip forward in time. Over the remaining pages, it is revealed that the Chinese "guest star" was the light of that long-ago supernova blast, and that the Crab Nebula is that supernova's remains. At the end of the book, readers are invited to imagine a time when they, too, might see the rare event of a supernova shining in the sky.

24 Hours In Space

Join an astronaut for a day as she goes on her first ever spacewalk, and new crew members arrive. Find out how she trained for her mission and what it's like living and working in space. How do you eat and drink at zero gravity? How do space toilets work? What are space suits designed for?

1000 Facts About Space

Full of fascinating facts on space exploration, our solar system, and beyond, this comprehensive book from astronomer Dean Regas takes you on a mind-blowing tour of our universe.

Behind the Scenes At the Space Stations

Defy gravity with an access-all-areas pass to the spectacular International Space Station with this behind-the-scenes guide to life in space. Have you ever wondered what life is like in the International Space Station? Or whether plants can grow in space? Or how astronauts go to the loo in zero gravity? Or what it feels like to orbit Earth at 17,500 mph? Then this may be the book for you! Revealing a new perspective into the world of space exploration and the daring astronauts who make it possible, Behind the Scenes at the Space Station takes you on a once-in-a-lifetime tour of the International Space Station, as well as other amazing space stations past and present. Learn what it takes to get to space and what astronauts do once they make it there, from experiments to repairs, and so much more!

The First Cat In Space Ate Pizza

Something terrible is happening in the skies! Rats are eating the MOON! There's only ONE hero for the job, a bold and fearsome beast bioengineered in a secret lab to be the moon's savior and Earth's last hope! And that hero is ... a cat.

Can't Get Enough Space Stuff

This book covers the planets in our solar system and galaxies beyond the Milky Way, including stories about astronauts life in space, the exoplanets, and the search for life on other planets; it features fun facts, games, hands-on activities, jokes, and more.

Packing for Mars for Kids

What is it like to float weightlessly in the air? What happens if you vomit in your helmet during a spacewalk? How do astronauts go to the bathroom? Is it true that they don't shower? Can farts really be deadly in space? Best-selling Mary Roach has the answers. In this whip-smart, funny, and informative young readers adaptation of her best-selling Packing for Mars, Roach guides us through the irresistibly strange, frequently gross, and awe-inspiring realm of space travel and life without gravity. From flying on NASA's Weightless Wonder to eating space food, Packing for Mars for Kids is chock-full of first-hand experiences and thorough research. Roach has crafted an authoritative and accessible book that is perfectly pitched to inquiring middle grade readers.

Spaceboy

The 1960s. Ruth loves climbing trees, making a mess and throwing stones. But the thing she loves most is space. The girl is obsessed. She spends her days reading comics about alien invasions, doodling UFOs, watching B-movies about Earth being invaded by creatures from Mars... and gazing at the stars through her old, battered telescope. Until one night, Ruth creeps out of bed in the attic room of her rickety old farmhouse to watch the stars - and is just dozing off when she spots something blazing across the sky. Something that looks like a flying saucer! Is she dreaming? No! And the flying saucer is on fire... But when the UFO crash-lands in the cornfield, and Ruth rushes to help, she finds a mystery - and an adventure - beyond her wildest dreams.

Meanwhile Back on Earth

In this picture book for older readers, a father drives his two children out into space and in the rear view mirror they see the conflicts that have taken place on Earth. As they get to the moon, they see what was happening 1 year ago. When they get to Mars, they see what was happening on Earth 500 years ago. When they get to Pluto, they see what was happening 11,000 years ago.

Aliens

A beautiful nonfiction book showcasing the different ways scientists are trying to find alien life in outer space.

First Steps on the Moon

Annie and Nico go back to the '60s to witness the Cold War race to the moon.

Izzy Hawthorne: Destiny Awaits

A middle grade sci-fi space adventure based on the Disney/Pixar film Lightyear is told from the unique perspective of one of Buzz's new friends.

Spidernaut

A first "person" account of the first spider to spin a web in space, and why the 1973 experiment, suggested by a high school student, was important.

Bok's Giant Leap

Based on a speech Neil Armstrong gave upon receiving the moon rock he named Bok, this unique picture book tells the story of how the Earth and the Moon came to be. Includes facts about the Earth and the Moon.

Luna Muna

Meet Luna Muna. Luna Muna is a curious young girl who loves outer space. In fact, she's going to be an astronaut one day! One night, after wishing on a shooting star, Luna Muna discovers a secret power: when she wears her special sparkly space helmet, she can float just like the astronauts in space! After bedtime, Luna Muna blasts off on a wild adventure and discovers that while space is very exciting, her home on Earth is pretty special too.

My Book of Stars and Planets

Discover mysterious planets and distant galaxies in this fact-filled guide to space.

One Step Further

NASA computer scientist Katherine Johnson and her two daughters tell the story of how she overcame racial barriers to play an integral role during the American space program's early days.

Sally Ride

As the first American woman in space, Sally Ride broke barriers and made her dreams come true. But she wanted to do even more! After leaving NASA, she created science and engineering programs that would help other girls and women make their dreams come true as well.

Where are the Constellations?

Ancient people from many different cultures all looked up and imagined pictures in the sky by "drawing" a line from one star to another, like a connect-the-dots puzzle. These star pictures--constellations--represented myths and legends from the various cultures that still fascinate us today. Author Stephanie Sabol relates many of the most popular constellation stories and explains what stars actually are: how they formed, why they die, and how they're grouped into constellation families.

Space

Ready to go on an out-of-this world adventure? Travel across the Milky Way and into new galaxies to explore every corner of space so YOU can become an absolute expert. Get up close to the sun and moon, asteroids and comets. Learn about the Oort Cloud, supernovas, black holes, and rockets and other spacecraft. Discover the incredible work of astronauts, astronomers, physicists, and other cool space scientists. On this journey across the universe, you'll make your way from our familiar home here on Earth to planets and solar systems that are many light-years away. Rub elbows with the stars on this cosmic adventure complete with special features, sidebars, wacky trivia, and more.

Margot and the Moon Landing

A universal story about speaking, listening and being heard. Margot loves space. Astronauts, the stars, and especially the moon landing. So she can't understand why all of her attempts to communicate her passion fall on disinterested ears. Her mom is patient but distracted; her classmates would rather play kickball; and her teacher just wants her to focus and pay attention in class. Even so, Margot wishes she never had to talk about anything but space ever again. When she wakes up one morning and discovers she can only recite Neil Armstrong's famous speech from the moon landing, Margot realizes she has an even bigger problem. How can Margot get everyone to pay attention and - more importantly - to hear what she's really trying to say? This powerful picture book debut plays with themes of listening and communication to highlight the importance of a space of one's own, no matter what your passion may be.

How We Got To The Moon

This beautifully illustrated, oversized guide to the people and technology of the moon landing by award-winning author/illustrator John Rocco is a must-have for space fans, classrooms, and tech geeks.

Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier

In the graphic novel Astronauts: Women on the Final Frontier , Jim Ottaviani and illustrator Maris Wicks capture the great humor and incredible drive of Mary Cleave, Valentina Tereshkova, and the first women in space. The U.S. may have put the first man on the moon, but it was the Soviet space program that made Valentina Tereshkova the first woman in space. It took years to catch up, but soon NASAs first female astronauts were racing past milestones of their own. The trail-blazing women of Group 9, NASAs first mixed gender class, had the challenging task of convincing the powers that be that a woman's place is in space, but they discovered that NASA had plenty to learn about how to make space travel possible for everyone.

Bad Luck and Trouble

 By Lee Child

Adult Fiction

Reviewed by Heidi from the Winkler Branch

    Bad Luck and Trouble is the eleventh book in the Jack Reacher series.  Jack Reacher is a retired Military Police officer who, after leaving the forces, decided to see the country by bus, carrying only his passport and a folding toothbrush.  Each book in the series follows the same formula.  Reacher rolls into town and finds trouble or, trouble finds him.  He then finds a creative solution to taking care of the problem.  The people are saved and Reacher gets back on the road.

    Bad Luck and trouble finds Reacher in California after receiving an emergency message from an old army buddy.  Together they have to re-form the unit and confront an unknown villain trying to take them down. Is this about their specialized unit's past or about something happening in the present?  Why are they having so much trouble tracking down the rest of the unit?  How did one of their unit end up dead in the middle of the desert?  Reacher is determined to find out and make them pay.

    I love this series for many reasons.  Reacher embodies a certain moral code that few people embrace.  He never lets things slide.  He always attacks the problem head on, or sideways, with ingenious creativity but he never lets an injustice pass him by.  For being a white male hero, he is surprisingly liberal. He has many strong female and BIPOC accomplices and judges people on their character and ability, nothing else.  I also love that the good guys win every time.  This series covers a lot of heavy topics like human trafficking, terrorism, corrupt cops and serial killers but somehow, the ending always feels satisfying.

    If you like this book, there are 25 others in the series as well as two movies starring Tom Cruise, creatively titled Jack Reacher and Jack Reacher: Never Go Back.  Amazon Prime released a TV show in February of 2022 with the first season based on the first book, Killing Floor.  The second season will be based on this book, Bad Luck and Trouble! Read it now before the season comes out later this year.

To place this book on hold, click here.