Collection Development Corner

Submitted by Alexa Martin, Molly Moore, and Kim Tomblin

Hello from your Collection Development team! We are excited to bring you a monthly check-in of what’s going on in Materials! Every month, we’ll share some of our favorite recent titles, trending genres, author read-a-likes or news and updates. 

Alexa:

POTENTIAL PUPPET SHOWS

Calling all Youth Services staff! Here are some new titles that would make great puppet shows (or fun storytime read-alouds).

• On the Air with Dr. Doodlebug by Susan E. Goodman
  Filled with bug facts and puns
  
  
• Gray Squirrel Loses It! by Cassandra Federman
  Similar to The Leaf Thief by Alice Hemming
  
  
• Archibald and the Furry Dinosaurs by Suzanne Lang
  Great for the 2026 SRF Theme (Unearth a Story)
  
  
• Zip Zap Wickety Wack by Matthew Diffee
  Lots of silly noises and a chance to pull out the rarely-used alien puppets!
  
  
• I Am a Highly Dangerous Warrior! by Raquel D’Apice
  A slightly more complex title brimming with laughs—good contender for the elusive upper-elementary puppet show
  
  
• Wally Mammoth: The Sled Race by Corey R. Tabor
  Be prepared to convert an elephant puppet to a woolly mammoth (or grab a woolly mammoth stuffed toy?) Also consider Wally Mammoth: Hide and Seek, which will be published later this spring!

Molly:

TRENDING TITLES: NEW & UPCOMING ADULT FICTION

• Cleopatra by Saara El-Arifi
  The misunderstood queen reclaims the narrative of her life and identity in this fascinating historical fiction tale.

• Is This a Cry for Help? by Emily Austin
  A grief-stricken librarian pushes through mental health issues as she navigates a string of crises in a public library.

• Hearts on the Fly by Toni Shiloh
  A hockey romance story focused on faith, family tension, and overcoming life-changing circumstances.

• The Red Winter by Cameron Sullivan
  A re-telling of the Beast of Gévaudan legend, this historical fantasy spans centuries as the morally gray protagonist is an immortal magician writing this tale as if it were his memoir.

• Ruby Falls by Gin Phillips
  In a publicity effort to draw visitors to Ruby Falls in 1928, a group of people go into the cave with a psychic to look for a hidden hairpin; however, not everyone makes it out alive.

• The Winter Warriors by Olivier Norek
  Based on the journals and accounts of soldiers, this is the fictionalized tale of the small Finnish army who defended their country from Stalin during World War 2. 

• Without a Clue by Melissa Ferguson
  A cozy mystery set on a book-themed cruise with one loveable assistant, 7 best-selling authors, and…a murderer on board!

Kim:

FOR BOOKWORMS AND BIBLIOPHILES:

NEW BOOKS TO REMIND YOU WHY YOU LOVE TO READ

• Every Day I Read: 53 Ways to Get Closer to Books by Hwang Po-rŭm
• Bookish: How Reading Shapes Our Lives by Lucy Mangan
• Shut Up and Read: a Memoir from Harriett’s Bookshop by Jeannie Cook
• Unread: a Memoir of Learning (and Loving) to Read on TikTok by Oliver James

 BOOKS TO HELP THOSE LEARNING TO READ (AND TO LOVE READING)

• The Science of Reading: the Brain Science, Language Development and Phonemic Awareness Behind the Movement (DK)
• Book Bonding: Building Connections Through Family Reading by Megan Dowd Lambert
• Bringing Up Bookmonsters: the Joyful Way to Turn Your Child into a Fearless, Ravenous Reader by Amber Ankowski
• The Enchanted Hour: the Miraculous Power of Reading Aloud in the Age of Distraction by Meghan Cox Gurdon
• Playful Activities for Reading Readiness: Laying a Foundation for Literacy by Latisha Hayes