Readers > Booklists > Staff Picks > 2009 July–December

Staff Picks

We love to read, and we've got some interesting recommendations. Check Staff Picks weekly for new titles!

2009 July–December

This I Believe: The Personal Philosophies of Remarkable Men and Women by Jay Allison: These selections from NPR's long-running series on spirituality will inspire some great 2010 New Year's meditations.
The Miles Between by Mary E. Pearson: Seventeen-year-old Destiny keeps a painful childhood secret all to herself until she and three classmates take off on an unauthorized road trip.
The Gathering by Anne Enright: The middle child of a big Dublin clan tries to make sense of a family tragedy in this eloquent novel. Winner of the 2007 Man Booker prize.
The Night Before Christmas by Rachel Isadora: Colorful collages highlight a jolly, dreadlocked Santa in this spirited retelling.
The Size of the World by Joan Silber: Six lovely, subtly interlocked stories span decades and continents, exploring ideas of exile and the meaning of home.
The Mitten by Jim Aylesworth: A warm-hearted retelling of the traditional tale, full of deft visual comedy.
Dark Age Ahead by Jane Jacobs: A short, punchy look at five serious threats to the American social fabric, by an economist and city planner.
Luv Ya Bunches by Lauren Myracle: Four fifth grade girls forge friendships via instant messages, video diaries and bonding over bullies.
Serena by Ron Rash: A villainess to rival Lady Macbeth dominates this saga of the Depression-era timber industry in the North Carolina mountains.
Extreme Scientists: Exploring Nature's Mysteries from Perilous Places by Donna M. Jackson: Scientists who fly into hurricanes, explore caves, and climb the world's tallest trees.
Tokyo Year Zero by David Peace: Actual events in post-WWII Japan inspired this dark, disturbing and complex novel of serial murder.
All the World by Elizabeth Garton Scanlon: A family's joyous connection to the wider world.
November 22, 1963 by Adam Braver: The JFK assassination retold in gripping, sometimes grisly detail, factual and imagined.
Sharp Teeth by Toby Barlow: A romantic supernatural noir mystery that will keep you guessing right up until the final dogfight.
The Shiniest Jewel: A Family Love Story by Marian Henley: This artist's illustrated memoir of her son's adoption and her father's death is remarkably moving, funny, and unsentimental.
What Can You Do with an Old Red Shoe? by Anna Alter: These fun crafts for kids encourage reuse.
Studs Terkel's Working: A Graphic Adaptation by Harvey Pekar: Harvey Pekar, of American Splendor fame, illustrates Terkel's landmark oral histories of American workers.
The Dunderheads by Paul Fleischman: A villain is foiled by clever kids in this action-packed adventure chock-full of stylish illustrations.
The Grift by Debra Ginsberg: Is Marina, a young con-artist and fake psychic, turning into the real thing? Offbeat characters and a dash of romance make this thriller special.
The Monsterologist by Bobbi Katz: A memoir in rhyme, comprised of notes, drawings, and letters from an assortment of monsters.
Farewell, My Subaru by Doug Fine: An exuberant account of a year spent on a New Mexico ranch exploring just how "green" modern life can get.
The Carbon Diaries 2015 by Saci Lloyd: A gripping, perceptive and impassioned eco-thriller that feels all too real.
Market Forces by Richard K. Morgan: Capitalism gone bad creates a brutal dystopia in this futuristic thriller.
The Big Elephant in the Room by Lane Smith: A droll parade of embarrassments for one young donkey.
Nigella Express: Good Food, Fast by Nigella Lawson: Real-world, busy-day ideas that work. Brilliant, charming and funny, Nigella writes as well as she cooks.
The Pox Party by M.T. Anderson: The diary of a young African American who is raised as part of a science experiment during the Revolutionary War. M.T. Anderson is this year's Teen Author Lecture presenter.
A Carrion Death by Michael Stanley: Introducing Detective Kubu (Setswanan for "hippopotamus"). Hyena-gnawed human remains in a game preserve lead him to diamond smuggling, poaching, and lots more bodies.
Red Sings from Treetops by Joyce Sidman: A quirky, poetic tribute to the seasons.
Freddy and Fredericka by Mark Helprin: The prince and princess of Wales travel incognito across the U.S. on a mysterious mission in this clever, farcical romp.
Naked Bunyip Dancing by Steven Herrick: A year in an Australian middle school classroom with a warm and unconventional teacher, written in verse.
The Archivist's Story by Travis Holland: In 1939 Moscow, a literature professor-turned-state censor destroys prisoners' writings — until he meets author Isaac Babel, and is moved to acts of resistance.
Come to the Castle! by Linda Ashman: A sly, lavishly illustrated take on life in a medieval castle, as seen through the eyes of its many inhabitants.
Edible Schoolyard by Alice Waters: This visionary chef advocates for children via Edible Education, which integrates academics with growing and cooking delicious organic food.
Token by Alisa Kwitney and Joëlle Jones: In this graphic novel, 15-year-old Shira turns to petty crime when her widowed father starts dating his secretary.
Anansi Boys by Neil Gaiman: A London man is shocked to discover his father is Anansi, the trickster god. Then, a newly discovered brother with magic powers turns his life upside down.
Wombat Walkabout by Carol Diggory Shields: When a hungry dingo follows six little wombats on a walkabout, he's in for a surprise.
Tin House [35], "Off the Grid": Portland's own standout literary magazine offers a special issue on people living beyond boundaries of all kinds.
Me, the Missing, and the Dead by Jenny Valentine: When a series of chance events leaves him in possession of an urn with ashes, 16-year-old Lucas becomes convinced that its occupant is communicating with him.
The Invention of Everything Else by Samantha Hunt: A surreal historical novel of not-quite-mad scientist Nikola Tesla, befriended by a hotel chambermaid interested in time travel.
The Curious Garden by Peter Brown: One boy's quest for a greener world, one garden at a time.
The Economic Naturalist by Robert H. Frank: Why do drive-up ATM machines have Braille dots on the keypads? An Ivy League economist gets playful.
Suite Scarlett by Maureen Johnson: A madcap romantic comedy that follows 15-year-old Scarlett through a summer in New York City.
Con Ed by Matthew Klein: With the Russian Mafia after his son for thousands, a shot at the perfect scam tempts a Silicon Valley con artist trying to go straight.
Redwoods by Jason Chin: A city boy finds a book about the redwoods, and suddenly finds himself walking among the ancient, enormous trees.
The Sealed Letter by Emma Donoghue: A colorful novel of romance and intrigue, based on the true story of a scandalous divorce in 1860s London.
The Savage by David Almond: When Blu's father dies, he writes a story about a savage boy — weird and wild and magic and dark — and it begins to come true.
Shining at the Bottom of the Sea by Stephen Marche: Inventive stories of the imaginary isle of Sanjania's rich history of literature, piracy and sin.
The Lion's Share by Matthew McElligott: A tale of halving cake and eating it, too.
Guernica by Dave Boling: The Basque town firebombed by Germany in 1937 comes to life in this vivid saga of three generations.
My Tiki Girl by Jennifer McMahon: Fifteen-year-old Maggie, still grieving the loss of her mother, finds a friend who makes her part of a quirky family and plans their future together as roving musicians and lovers.
War Is a Force That Gives Us Meaning by Chris Hedges: Why is war so endlessly compelling? The New York Times correspondent Chris Hedges — not a pacifist — asks for greater thoughtfulness and responsibility.
Tulip and Lupin Forever by Mireille Levert: Gorgeous watercolors illustrate the sensitive story of a watering fairy who loses her beloved pet.