Frank Carlson Library

"Elegy plus comedy is the only way to express how we live in the world today, says a character in Sigrid Nunez's ninth novel. The Vulnerables offers a meditation on our contemporary era, as a solitary female narrator asks what it means to be alive at this complex moment in history and considers how our present reality affects the way a person looks back on her past. Humor, to be sure, is a priceless refuge. Equally vital is connection with others,...

"An introverted girl who just wanted to be left alone. A talkative little boy with a very important wish. Based on a true story, Noise is the heartwarming tale of finding joy in unexpected places." -- Amazon.com.

An elementary school girl witnesses the bullying of another girl, but she is not sure how to help.

When Bear calls for his friends to play, their moms tell them they musn't go in the river, get dirty, or be late coming home. But when they return later, have they done as they were told?

Even though its kind sacrifices for the animals of the forest have marred the perfection of its shape, Small Pine is selected to be the Christmas tree in the Queen's castle, demonstrating that living for the sake of others makes us most beautiful in the eyes of God.

Janey, a quiet outsider, is inspired by the eccentric and enigmatic Captain Superlative, a masked superhero who runs through the halls of their middle school, performing radical acts of kindness.

"Dragonboy and his friends find ways to explore and discover inside their house, counting hearts that appear with each act of kindness someone performs"--

A light-loving magical girl with mothlike wings that are too delicate to be out in the sun collects glowing objects while flittering about at night, sharing them with others who need them most until the day her animal friends decide to return her kindness.

Ash and Pudd take care of everyone in the woods, from their furry and feathered friends to the shivering trees. But then one day, a strange new creature appears in the forest. Could it be a new friend? This story about kindness and generosity is as cozy and sweet as a mug of hot chocolate on a chilly day.

"As Charlotte watches her home and town being destroyed in a flood she sadly laments her loss, but in the midst of her anguish she soon discovers the power of healing through kindness."--Provided by publisher.