Patch Picks: Read Across America Day Book Recommendations

On March 2, the National Education Association (NEA) celebrated “Read Across America Day." If you are on the hunt for a good book, here are some great recommendations for adults and teens from Inver Glen Library Manager Peg Schmook, who says these five titles are "worth reading.”

For Adults:

• "The Sweetness at the Bottom of the Pie," by C. Alan Bradley
  In a small village in 1950s England, Flavia de Luce is an aspiring young chemist with a passion for poison. She soon finds she must use her considerable skills to save her father from being branded a murderer. “A clever plot, eccentric characters and a rich atmosphere make this a must read,” said Schmook.

• "The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference," by Malcolm Gladwell
  This popular book by New Yorker writer Gladwell focuses on the ways that little changes can have significant effects on society and gives examples on how the power of “word of mouth” epidemics can spread ideas and influence.

• "The Poisonwood Bible," by Barbara Kingsolver
  This perennial book club favorite tells the compelling story of missionary Nathan Price, who brings his wife and four daughters to live in the Belgian Congo in 1959 at a time of civil unrest in Africa.

For teens

• "The Carrie Diaries," by Candace Bushnell
  A prequel to the extremely popular “Sex and the City” series, this book for teens introduces high schooler Carrie Bradshaw, growing up in a small town in New England, spending time with three best friends, navigating the high school social scene, and making big plans for the future.

• "Wake," by Lisa McCann
  Seventeen-year-old Janie has a strange and complicated secret. When she falls asleep, she gets drawn into other people’s dreams. And sometimes, those dreams become nightmares. This book is the first in a trilogy.