Mini Staff Review: Saga by Brian K. Vaughan & Fiona Staples

I'm honestly a little surprised that we haven't already reviewed the Saga series on the library's blog before because it is a bit of a staff favorite. Written by Brian K. Vaughan (Y: The Last Man & Runaways), and gorgeously illustrated by Fiona Staples, Saga is an endlessly creative science fiction romp. And yes, the covers seen here are Staples' work (I'm always annoyed when the art inside a comic is nothing like the art I loved on the cover). A witty space opera with a fascinating cast of characters that stands up well to rereads, a plus when one considers the wait between new issues. The central characters are Alana and Marko, soldiers from opposite sides of a galaxy spanning war who fall in love and have a daughter, which makes their family a target of just about everyone. Readers bothered by violence, nudity, and other adult content should steer clear, but everyone else is in a smart and entertaining treat.

~Sarah, Adult Services

Mini Staff Review: The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin

When a patron made a point of telling me how much she'd loved reading The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin this summer, I knew I had to check it out. I'd read several positive reviews saying that this was a perfect book for book lovers, which always makes me cautious. There's nothing less fun than being the one person to not like the book everyone else loves, but I'm happy to say Zevin's writing is witty and charming, and the characters are engaging. Of course, I'm a sucker for short stories, and the book is organized around a love of short stories. Add in a character with a love of nail polish, and I was hooked. Hopefully, it's not too much of a spoiler to warn that you might need some Kleenex by the end of the book.

As I was reading I was reminded of the literary romances in Major Pettigrew's Last Stand by Helen Simonson and The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer & Annie Barrows. If you haven't picked up either of these books yet, I highly recommend them as well!

~Sarah, Adult Services

Little Free Libraries in Dubuque Map

DECEMBER 2020 UPDATE:

The map below is no longer maintained. Try the official Little Free Library World Map for current info.

Full-screen map

The Dubuque Campaign for Grade-Level Reading and the AmeriCorps VISTA program recently set up Little Free Libraries at five of Dubuque's six fire stations. These join several other Little Free Libraries which already exist throughout Dubuque.

Carnegie-Stout Public Library supports these initiatives and will furnish books to the Little Free Libraries at the fire stations if inventory runs low.

What are Little Free Libraries?

From the City of Dubuque: "A Little Free Library, in its most basic form, is a small box that houses free books for anyone to take and exchange at any time. Returns and/or exchanges are not mandatory, but encouraged. Dubuque’s Little Free Libraries are open to everyone regardless of income level, age, or residence. Non-residents are welcome to participate." For more information, see Little Free Library, Ltd.

For additions or corrections to this map, please leave comments below.