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Library Focus 2022: librarians’ choices
There’s something for everyone in these picks from five UK-based librarians, who share a quintet of titles they are looking forward to in the coming months.
Michelle Allen
Library officer, Brighton and Hove City Libraries
I eagerly await Home is Not a Place (William Collins), a free-form composition mixing photography, poetry and essay from poet Roger Robinson and photographer Johny Pitts. Charting their journey around the coast in a Mini Cooper, it aims to document the complexity, strength and resilience of Black Britishness and answer the question: What is Black Britain?
A prequel to Adam Silvera’s They Both Die at the End, I’m expecting The First to Die at the End (Simon & Schuster Children’s) to be just as beautifully bittersweet. Set on the night before new prediction tech Death-cast makes its first call, two strangers, Orion and Valentino, meet and find connection.
I adore fantasy and am a sucker for romance, so I’m very excited about The Ballad of Never After (Hodder & Stoughton), Stephanie Garber’s follow-up to Once Upon a Broken Heart. I expect passion, forbidden magic and lots of adventure. This will be one of those books I devour in a night then dream of for days.
Naomi Novik stole my heart with Spinning Silver, and The Golden Enclaves (Penguin)—the conclusion of her magical Scholomance trilogy—is bound to sizzle with dry wit and explosive action. Having finally escaped the Scholomance, protagonist El is about to do the unthinkable in order to prevent all out war; find a way back inside.
The Poppy War trilogy author R F Kaung’s new fantasy, Babel: An Arcane History (HarperVoyager), promises a mix of visceral grimdark and dystopia, exploring language, authoritarianism and the sacrifice of resistance. Set in a fantasy 1836 Oxford where the Tower of Babel looms large, orphan Robin Swift soon realises Babel is more prison than paradise.
Derek France
School librarian at Lodge High School, East Lothian, Scotland
I am a huge fan of Francis Hardinge and cannot wait to get lost in Unraveller (Macmillan Children’s). Set in a world where humans can bestow curses—a power granted to them by one of the magical creatures of the Wilds—Kellen is the only human with the gift to unravel them. This looks to be an epic fantasy exploring trauma, loss, grief, anger and compassion.
A YA verse novel from our new Children’s Laureate? Yes please! The Boy Lost in the Maze (Otter-Barry Books) weaves the Ancient Greek myth of Theseus and the Minotaur, and modern-day teenager Theo, undertaking a labyrinthine search for his biological father. Joseph Coelho’s poetry is dazzling, and I am happy to see him team up again with the wonderful illustrator Kate Milner.
I am excited about As Long as the Lemon Trees Grow (Bloomsbury YA) by début author Zoulfa Katouh, an important book on track to become a modern classic. Set amid the Syrian Revolution, this should be a tender, tragic, heartbreaking exploration of war, love and hope.
The conclusion to Darren Charlton’s zombie-apocalypse queer love story Wranglestone, Timberdark (Stripes Publishing) is sure to have plenty more thrills and chills. I’m looking forward to the development of Peter and Cooper’s relationship, Charlton’s descriptions of the natural world, and answers to why the Dead are walking the earth!
I love Finbar Hawkins’ début novel, Witch. Stone (Zephyr) is bound to be equally full of myth and magic, exploring the magnitude of grief. On the day of his dad’s funeral, Sam discovers a white stone that induces visions he can’t escape—all set next to prehistoric hill figure, the Uffington White Horse.
Mobeena Khan
Information skills librarian at London South Bank University
I am not sure I know a single person who didn’t adore Alan Rickman, and the publication of Madly, Deeply (Canongate), his diaries from 1993 to 2016, should provide insights into an amazing and much-missed actor and director. Edited by Alan Taylor and with a foreword from Rickman’s co-star and friend Emma Thompson, expect to see a lot of people reading this.
The Story of Art Without Men (Hutchinson Heinemann), Katy Hessel’s book of art history, focused on women, is something I am very much looking forward to. I know little about art and even less about female artists, so I am hoping this will inform my views on both! Featuring more than 300 female artists, this book is about shaking up the traditional view of artists.
Maggie O’Farrell never fails to come up with plots that immediately intrigue me and make me think and wonder, and The Marriage Portrait (Tinder Press) sounds no different. The story of Lucrezia, Duchess of Ferrara, and her marriage to a husband she thinks is trying to kill her, sounds irresistible.
Strange Relics: Stories of Architecture and the Supernatural (1895-1934), edited by Amara Thornton and Katy Soar (Handheld Press), is published by one of my favourite indie presses. The anthology combines some of my favourite literary tropes; ghosts, horror and hauntings, all linked to archeological excavations.
Annie Ernaux is all over Twitter and this translation by Alison L Strayer, published by Fitzcarraldo Editions (another favourite publisher of mine), focuses on a diary she kept during her 18-month affair. Getting Lost provides a unique insight into one woman being wholly consumed by longing and desire.
David Moger
Librarian, reading and culture, North Somerset Council
Amongst Our Weapons (Gollancz) is Ben Aaronovitch’s ninth Rivers of London book. Peter Grant continues fighting crimes perpetrated by supernatural residents of London, with the added complication of his impending fatherhood. The series is a joy to read and part of the fun is spotting hidden cultural references.
Being a keen Terry Pratchett fan, and frequenter of Discworld conventions, Terry Pratchett: A Life with Footnotes* (Doubleday) is the highlight of my autumn. The first official biography is written by Rob Wilkins, who—outside of Pratchett’s immediate family—knew him best. Reviews say it is deeply personal, with chapters on dementia and its effect on him and his loved ones.
Richard Osman’s The Bullet That Missed (Viking) is a huge deal for library issues. LibrariesWest has nearly 600 copies of the first two Thursday Murder Club titles—and we still have waiting lists! We have a reserve list of 280-plus for this title, so no library review of upcoming books could be complete without it.
Kate Mosse’s Warrior Queens & Quiet Revolutionaries (Mantle) will celebrate nearly 1,000 women who have been overlooked in history books. I have partly chosen this because our library in Weston-super-Mare will host “Hope”, a LEGO statue of a suffragette, until 12th September to commemorate the centenary of the Representation of the People Act.
If you don’t have small children (or grandchildren, in my case), you may not have heard of Australian phenomenon “Bluey”. The cartoon adventures of a family of dogs is praised for depicting family life. Bluey: Bingo (Ladybird) will be a popular addition to any children’s library, especially now series three is out.
Toni Velikova
Assistant librarian, Scottish Poetry Library, Edinburgh
I love poetry that challenges and re-evaluates poetic tradition, poetry that creates mythology within itself and engages with questions of heritage, legacy and how the existence of our collective past transforms the notions of our collective future. Jay Gao’s début collection Imperium (Carcanet) will surely be a smash hit right from the start.
I have been enchanted with Alycia Pirmohamed’s poetry ever since Faces That Fled the Wind and the way her language flows in elegant, mysterious ways, telling tales of heritage, history and belonging. Another Way to Split Water (Birlinn) will be very popular among both poetry lovers and newcomers to the art of verse alike.
The Locked Tomb series has had me in a vice grip for months. After the explosive ending of the series’ previous offering, Nona the Ninth (St Martin’s Press) promises once again to keep us spellbound with Tamsyn Muir’s one-of-a-kind talent for storytelling. Most importantly, I need to know that dog’s name.
I’m very excited to see Jenni Fagan return to poetry, after some delightful prose offerings, with The Bone Library (Birlinn). The idea of this collection—written during a residency at the old Dick Vet Bone Library—is thrilling, original and unexpected. It promises to take us on an unforgettable adventure through the most intimate and haunted secrets of human life.
A story with families, poetry and libraries at its heart, it feels like Our Missing Hearts (Abacus) was written for me and me alone. Family has always been at the core of Celeste Ng’s books and it feels like her latest won’t stray further from this. Our Missing Hearts promises to be a celebratory, mysterious and deeply human tale
Katy Wedderburn
Librarian, Northumberland Libraries
Girl Friends by Holly Bourne (Hodder & Stoughton). What makes Holly Bourne such a brilliant writer is her ability to really capture the female experience so accurately, both in her YA titles and in her adult fiction. I've been a huge fan of Holly's for a long time and I always find elements of her stories that really resonate with me, and there's nothing better than looking forward to something new from one of your favourite authors.
Tyger by S F Said (David Fickling Books). There is certainly no doubting S F Said's incredible storytelling prowess and his passion for children's literature, so there was never any question about his inclusion in this list. With the promise that this is a magical, beautifully written masterpiece, I have heard nothing but wonderful things about Tyger and I cannot wait to get my hands on a copy.
The Atlas Paradox by Olivie Blake (Tor). I have only very recently read The Atlas Six after being a little dubious about all the hype surrounding it, but I was pleasantly surprised. This richly imagined fantasy about a group of elite magicians and a secret initiation is intensely chilling, but it's incredibly smart and compelling and its sequel looks set to be every bit as delicious.
Bunny Vs Monkey—Machine Mayhem by Jamie Smart (David Fickling Books). I am constantly in awe of the amount of work that goes into creating graphic novels and Jamie Smart really is one of the best. His Bunny Vs Monkey series is hilarious on every level, pure comedy gold, and has provided my son and me with hours of enjoyment. You are guaranteed completely insane, toilet-humoured fun with every read and I think books like these that are exceptionally funny and exciting are essential reading for all children (and adults).
Leila and the Blue Fox by Kiran Millwood Hargrave and Tom de Freston (Orion Children’s Books). I absolutely adore the way that this duo create not just books, but works of art to be treasured. The combination of the story, the unique illustration style and the tracing paper overlays is nothing short of beautiful, so I have no doubt that Leila and the Blue Fox will be every bit as incredible as its predecessor.
