October Staff Picks

Even though the weather lately has still felt like summer, spooky season is here again and hints of fall are finally arriving. If this time of year gets you searching for the perfect creepy story, you can find some in our Staff Picks display this month on the first floor of the library. Christie says “The Whisper Man” by Alex North (FIC Nor) is her “go-to spooky pick during October! All the terror you need to keep you up at night!” Bryanna recommends “The Tenant” by Freida McFadden, a dark thriller from the author who wrote the explosively popular “The Housemaid” and who just keeps dropping bestselling mysteries.

Brenda recommends a true crime book written by the ever-popular James Patterson that just came out this summer. “The Idaho Four: An American Tragedy” by Patterson and Vicky Ward (364.152 Patterson) “concentrates on the four innocent college students’ personal stories before they had such a horrific ending. Although many facts are unknown, such as the WHY, the authors provide factual information leading to a reasonable understanding of motive.”

If you need some good recipes for the season, Montica’s go-to is “Fix-It-And-Forget-It Fall Recipes” (641.5 Fix) which is filled with over 150 slow cooker recipes, including Butternut Squash and Apple Soup, Honey-Maple Sweet Potatoes, Autumn Harvest Pork Loin, Pumpkin-Pecan Pie, and Hot Mulled Cider. For fall camping, she recommends “The Campout Cookbook” (641.578 Han), which is loaded with recipes to actually eat well while camping, including wood-fired skillet pizzas, backcountry stews, fire-roasted vegetables and cast-iron breads. You can even upgrade your s’mores with Dark Chocolate Raspberry Caramel Fire-Ban S’mores! Perfect to enjoy while sitting around the campfire telling scary stories.

For the kids, pick up “Where Do Diggers Trick-or-Treat?” by Brianna Caplan Sayres (j E Sayres). Stacy says this is a “cute Halloween story about construction equipment and trick-or-treating.” We also have several other fun Halloween and fall-themed books in our children’s collection. Stop by our Youth Services desk if you need help finding some fun fall picture books.

Finally, Joni recommends an incredibly fun science fiction adventure series that has become wildly popular. The “Dungeon Crawler Carl” series by Matt Dinniman (FIC Dinniman) follows Carl and his now-sentient cat Princess Donut after an alien species has turned the Earth into an intergalactic game show, and they must try to survive a video game–like dungeon. This seven-book series is creative, dark, and hilarious. Joni says, “Princess Donut delights me. Try the audio version, too!”

Discover these titles and more currently on display on the first floor of the library through the end of the month. We also invite you to visit the second floor of the library and check out our fall themed book displays, including Make Autumn Memories, The History of Witchery, and coming in the middle of October, Creature Feature. Come find something fun to read this fall at your library.