Learn from a Librarian: The Books We Can’t Stop Recommending

Some books are just too good not to recommend again and again! We asked KDL librarians to share the books they find themselves recommending most often and why they think readers should give them a try. Whether you’re looking for your next great read or a title to share with someone else, these librarian-loved picks might be just what you’re looking for.

Impossible Creatures by Katherine Rundell
I will be deeply disappointed if Impossible Creatures does not become a children's classic. It's the first book in a series and it follows two children... one who was given a magical coat on the day she was born that helps her to fly and another who has a remarkable affinity with animals.  They live on either side of a divide meant to conserve and protect what magic is left in the world from extinction, but the legendary animals on the magical side of the divide are disappearing and behaving oddly. The two children set out to discover why.
-Mikki, Comstock Park Branch

Last Days of Summer by Steve Kluger
I first picked up Last Days of Summer twenty-five years ago and have been consistently recommending it ever since. A coming-of-age WWII novel written in letters, newspaper clippings, telegrams and interviews, it taught me how to read a baseball scorecard and gave me opinions about Ethel Merman. It'll make you laugh! It'll make you cryyyyy! It'll make you wish you could hang out with the characters! Honestly, you should probably go read Last Days of Summer right now.
-Monica, East Grand Rapids Branch

The One and Only Ivan by Katherine Applegate
I recommend this book to parents and children for many reasons. It is entertaining. A lot of modern fiction puts the moral before the story. "Ivan" puts the story first and weaves the moral into the engaging storytelling. The characters are so believable and so lovable, you can't help but jubilantly celebrate their victories but also feel the deep pain of their losses. And remember, this is a story about a painting gorilla who lives at a shopping mall and is friends with a stray dog and baby elephant. The book is also quite accessible to readers of different skill levels. 304 pages might seem like a big ask for some, but the language used avoids jargon or thesaurus-scanning vocabulary, and there are illustrations to break it up. Simply put, this book is absolutely not to be missed. It's almost too easy to recommend. You'll laugh, cry and hopefully cheer by the satisfying conclusion.
-Mike, Cascade Twp. Branch 

Out of My Mind by Sharon Draper
It's a wonderful story for youth about resilience, friendship and celebrating differences. It drives readers to consider that we truly don't know what someone may be thinking.
-Ashley, Alto/Englehardt Branches

Alone by Megan E. Freeman
I love recommending this book to middle grade readers. The story is shocking, the survival is compelling and the ending leaves the reader questioning what exactly happened. And it's in verse!
-Liz, Amy Van Andel Library

Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt
I recommend this on the regular because It has wonderful characters, a mystery, funny parts and hopeful parts and yet tackles the difficult topics of aging and grief.   But most importantly the naughty, crafty and thoughtful octopus narrator, Marcellus.
-Nanette, Cascade Twp. Branch

Little Freddie Two Pants by Drew Daywalt
Freddie is a dog who dares to ask: "How many pants is too many pants?" and the ensuing pages are laugh-out-loud funny as Freddie tries to figure out how to dress himself properly, with silly antics that involve a monkey and underwear (and underwear is always hilarious). I wish I could share the joy of reading this to a preschool or kindergarten class and watching them throw their heads back with laughter - truly a magical experience! All of this combined is why this silly book is one I love to recommend to anyone and everyone who will listen.
-Kali, Amy Van Andel Library

My Side of the Mountain by Jean Craighead George
This book inspires a sense of adventure, independence and wonder about the natural world. It's a story of a young boy learning to survive on his own reminds readers of the power of resourcefulness, courage and discovering what you’re capable of when you step outside your comfort zone.
-Clyde, Spencer Twp. Branch

A Snicker of Magic by Natalie Lloyd
This a delightful story infused with magical realism.  Felicity Pickle and her family are returning to Midnight Gulch.  A town that used to have magic (and still does in small doses).  Felicity is hoping her mother will stop her wandering ways and that they can all stay in Midnight Gulch.  The solution to this problem may be tied up in the town's magical history.  And that's just the plot!  Natalie Lloyd's wonderful writing style also makes this book a delight to read.
-Mikki, Comstock Park Branch

Braiding Sweetgrass by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The way that Dr. Kimmerer writes is lyrical and profound and has helped me see, think about and experience the natural world in vast new ways through the perspective of Native American and Indigenous peoples, particularly those who have historically and currently call the Great Lakes Region their home. Its one of my all-time favorite books and I will keep coming back to it again and again.
-Holland, Kentwood (Richard L. Root) Branch 

Bel Canto by Anne Patchett
It is a beautiful story that begins with violence but becomes a story of people from different backgrounds embracing beauty and love. It is sad and you will likely cry at times. My friend recommended it to me years ago and I fell in love with the story and have re-read it several times. And I have read everything by Anne Patchett and love all her books, but this one holds a special place in my heart.
-Kathy, Spencer Twp. Branch

I typically will recommend authors rather than a specific titles because I don't know what is currently on the shelf. But I love recommending Harlan Coben because of his true to life situations, suspenseful but not gory, and he does more standalone books than series as a mystery author.  One of his that I loved was Fool Me Once.
-Beth, Gaines Twp. Branch