I See You've Called in Dead by John Kenney

How I Came Across It... *I seem to have become the staff book club selection committee. So far this year, we have read Buckeye and Life & Death & Giants. I searched high and low for our third selection. Everyone loved the first two books so I wanted to be sure the next one was just as strong. After much deliberation, with myself, I choose this novel by John Kenney. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *The story centers around Bud Stanley who is an obituary writer.

*He is alone after his divorce and not really moving forward.

*After drinking too much one might, he posts his own obituary for all to see and read.

*As he awaits his fate with the newspaper company, Bud meets a woman who attends funerals of people she doesn't know.

*Bud begins to do the same thing with his best friend and this path leads him in all sorts of different directions. What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *I listened to the audio version of the story and so enjoyed listening.

*I almost think the audio version might be a better option over reading the hard copy. The narration was top-notch and the humor came through loud and clear.

*The plot almost read like a memoir and I had to remind myself this was a work of fiction.

*As much as the use of humor was a central and strong aspect of the story, there certainly were other moments of emotional and touching life-lessons.

*Overall, I enjoyed the story and look forward to discussing the book with my fellow staff members.

Who Should Read It... *I do think most adult readers would find this a strong read, enjoy the humor, and be touched by the more serious and emotional scenes. Happy Reading! Rating... 4 out of 5 stars

Wolf Club by James Bird

How I Came Across It... *I have read, loved, and shared all of James Bird's previous novels. I was excited when I learned he had a new middle-grade novel out in the world. The book was released at the end of September 2025. What It's About - Five Things You Need to Know... *Ocan (Racoon), is a lonely young boy who doesn't see his mother much.

*Sarah (Skunk), is a young girl who is shunned because she smells and no one knows why.

*Marcus (Moose), is a the class bully and doesn't make life easy on either Ocan or Sarah.

*When a white wolf has been seen near their town, the three of them set off on an adventure to find and save it.

*While on their journey, each child comes to terms with their own situation and that of the others.

What I Thought of It - Five Observations/Reflections... *When I find an author who writes powerful and emotional stories, I worry their newest work of fiction won't live up to my expectations. That did NOT happen with this story.

*From the moment I began to the moment I finished, I was obsessed with the characters, the setting, and above all the plot. All three elements worked perfectly together.

*Ocan was such a force and the author did an excellent job of bringing him to life and off the page.

*I thought I knew where the story was going during the journey, but there was more than one occasion when I was surprised by the events.

*The writing was beautiful, engaging, and thought-provoking. I absolutely loved the story!

Who Should Read It... *The perfect novel for a class read aloud in grades five, six, or above. The storyline would provide so much to discuss and think about. I think all middle-school and even high-school readers would find this a satisfying story. James Bird has done it again. Happy Reading! Rating... 5 out of 5 stars