Atria Books
$29.99
May 2025
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From the publisher: Most people don\u2019t even notice them\u2014three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it\u2019s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.<\/p>\n
Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.<\/p>\n
Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into 18-year-old Louisa\u2019s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting\u2019s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she\u2019ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don\u2019t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.<\/p>\n
From Judy Carroll, bookseller: Once again Backman brings quirky characters to life in this lovely, engaging book. An 18-year-old artist is moved by a painting done years before. Through twists and turns, her fascination leads to a story within a story of four teenagers 25 years before, their difficult upbringings, and their endearing friendship. I loved this book!<\/p>\n
When the Tides Held the Moon<\/p>\n
By Venessa Vida Kelley From the publisher: Benigno \u201cBenny\u201d Caldera knows an orphaned Boricua blacksmith in 1910s New York City can\u2019t call himself an artist. But the ironwork tank he creates for the famed Coney Island playground, Luna Park, astounds everyone, especially the eccentric side-show proprietor who commissioned it. Benny\u2019s work earns him an invitation to join the show\u2019s eclectic crew of performers\u2014his first welcome in the city\u2014and he shares in their astonishing secret: the tank Benny built is a cage for their newest exhibit, a living, breathing, in-the-flesh merman stolen from the banks of the East River under a gleaming full moon.<\/p>\n The merman is more than a mythic marvel, though. Benny comes to know R\u00edo as a clever philosopher, an observant traveler, and a kindred spirit more beautiful and compassionate than any human he\u2019s ever met. Despite their different worlds, what begins as a friendship of necessity deepens to love, leading Benny\u2019s heart into uncharted waters where he can no longer ignore the agonizing truth of R\u00edo\u2019s captivity\u2014and his own.<\/p>\n A cage is no place for a merman to survive. Though releasing R\u00edo means betraying his new family, bankrupting their home, and losing his soulmate forever, Benny must look within for the courage to do what\u2019s right, and find a love strong enough to free them both.<\/p>\n From Krystal Murphy, event and marketing coordinator: \u201cWhen the Tides Held the Moon\u201d is a beautiful historical cozy love story set in the early 1900s between a Puerto Rican immigrant and a merman. The genuine adoration and yearning between the two main male characters\u2014despite all the odds\u2014gave me \u201cSong of Achilles\u201d vibes. And the endearing cast of \u201cfound (circus) family\u201d in this book is one of the best I\u2019ve read. Kelley also created the beautiful illustrations for the book, and her author\u2019s note at the end about 19th century migrants, LGBTQ and BIPOC injustices, and the historical events that inspired the book is excellent.<\/p>\n Smile<\/p>\n By Raina Telgemeier From the publisher: Raina just wants to be a normal sixth grader. But one night after Girl Scouts she trips and falls, severely injuring her two front teeth. What follows is a long and frustrating journey with on-again, off-again braces, surgery, embarrassing headgear, and even a retainer with fake teeth attached. And on top of all that, there\u2019s still more to deal with: a major earthquake, boy confusion, and friends who turn out to be not so friendly.<\/p>\n From Bess Maher, event liaison: I devoured the graphic novel \u201cSmile\u201d over a long plane ride and highly recommend it for tweens, teens, and nostalgic adults (like me!). Author-illustrator Raina Telgemeier shares the account of losing her two front teeth in sixth grade and dealing with the consequences of that while trying to find her place in middle school. She has published several other award-winning graphic novels, including the forthcoming \u201cFacing Feelings\u201d (Oct. 2025).\u00a0<\/p>\n THIS WEEK\u2019S BOOK RECS COME FROM:<\/p>\n The Bookies Bookstore
Kensington
$29
April 2025
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Scholastic Inc.
$12.99 (paperback)
November 2020
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2085 S. Holly Street
Denver, CO 80222<\/p>\n
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