April 19, 2025

Five Things to Tell You Vol. 20

mandatory nonfiction, a passion for libraries, reading what the teens are reading and more!

Well, hello there! So happy to see you today! I’m on the road this weekend visiting with my sister and nieces and helping my Oma celebrate her 90th birthday ~ I can’t wait to tell you about it next weekend ☺

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I’m starting off with just one book recommendation today, my friends, because DAMN, nothing else can sit next to this one.

Careless People by Sarah Wynn-Williams is THE nonfiction book to read this spring, and if you’re still spending more than a minute a day on Facebook or Instagram, I can assure you that this will (SHOULD) cure you of that right. quick. I read this book half in print and then switched to audio so I didn’t have to stop when I was on my walks and driving. Sarah Wynn-Williams is officially my new hero. I detest Mark Zuckerberg even more than ever now, which I didn’t think was possible.

I adore that this book opens with this absolutely perfectly fitting line from The Great Gatsby:

“They were careless people, Tom and Daisy — they smashed up things and creatures and then retreated back into their money or their vast carelessness or whatever it was that kept them together, and let other people clean up the mess they had made.”

Also, I LOVE TO SEE IT

Last week, my library team at work had the opportunity to meet with Wisconsin’s Secretary of State and it was such a special conversation. She was presenting us with a ceremonial check for our state library funding, but took the time to ask us what we love about our jobs, what else we need, why we do what we do, and to generally just honor the work we do with students and libraries.

Many of us were tearing up when we were talking about why our jobs and funding are so vital to kids, and she was just such a delight to talk to. Our newly-elected mayor was there as well, and he is a former school employee and former school board member who was excited to join the conversation. Having government officials who respect public education and libraries … what a gift.

I believe I have mentioned before that when a teenage child tells you to read a book, it is not a suggestion, it is a MANDATE. This book that my 7th grader handed me last week after finishing it for the 2nd time is one I have actively avoided for years, but I dove in immediately.

I finished it in two evenings and was / am deeply, deeply disturbed by it - right after finishing, I raced up to my daughter, tossed the book at her and begged her to tell me why she put that story in my brain. OMG.

But damn … my teenager is still reading! I’ll read all the disturbing books.

“This thought-provoking thriller examines issues such as abuse, gentrification, and the marginalization of people of color with nuance and sensitivity. The narrative deftly moves back and forth between past and present, building to a devastating conclusion. A spellbinding, profoundly moving choice for YA collections.”

— School Library Journal (starred review)

When one of my colleagues at work ran into the library this week saying, “I need books to read!”, I handed her the past two Newbery winners … and this one. Just sharing the love! And horror.

Speaking of children and books, this is the book I included in the eldest’s Easter basket (box) that I mailed to her! I also included this one that I had been telling her about and that she said she wanted to read.

She has filled me in on the state of public libraries in rural Maine (sadly lacking) and in Sacramento (amazing) over the past year and I am deeply happy to have this tie with her. She even let me tell her about my homelessness books and asked for the titles ~ whether she’s humoring me or not, WHAT A KID.

Everything else this week was bookish, so here’s a diversion! I told some of you already about my new favorite shoes that I have worn every single day since they arrived, and now … I present to you my favorite socks to wear with them. Yes, I got the colorful ones.

That’s all for this week ~ thanks for reading! Please feel free to reply to this email or use the link below to leave a comment to chime in about any of these things, or to share one of your own things ♡

Thanks for stopping by!