Staff Picks
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Survival Scout: Lost in the Mountains
Scout's woe is your gain in the first of the SURVIVAL SCOUT graphic novel series, where Scout endures natural disasters so we don't have to.
Stay calm, and Scout it out!
1) Take inventory of what you have
2) Find shelter
3) Make a fire
4) Signal for help
5) Secure water and food
Follow Scout’s trial through the mountains, as she explains how to survive if you ever find yourself lost in the wilderness. A perfect travel companion for those with a knack for adventure, or prone to getting disoriented in the forest. -
No Fixed Address
For fans of Wendelin van Draanen and Cynthia Lord, a touching and funny middle-grade story about family, friendship, and growing up when you're one step away from homelessness.
Twelve-and-three-quarter-year-old Felix Knutsson has a knack for trivia. His favorite game show is Who What Where When; he even named his gerbil after the host. Felix's mom, Astrid, is loving but can't seem to hold on to a job. So when they get evicted from their latest shabby apartment, they have to move into a van. Astrid swears him to secrecy; he can't tell anyone about their living arrangement, not even Dylan and Winnie, his best friends at his new school. If he does, she warns him, he'll be taken away from her and put in foster care.
As their circumstances go from bad to worse, Felix gets a chance to audition for a junior edition of Who What Where When, and he's determined to earn a spot on the show. Winning the cash prize could make everything okay again. But things don't turn out the way he expects. . . .
Susin Nielsen deftly combines humor, heartbreak, and hope in this moving story about people who slip through the cracks in society, and about the power of friendship and community to make all the difference. -
The One and Only Family
An instant #1 New York Times and indie bestseller!
For more than a decade, readers have been enchanted by the modern classic The One and Only Ivan, a Newbery Award winner and a #1 New York Times bestseller, and by its bestselling sequels, The One and Only Bob and The One and Only Ruby. Powerhouse author Katherine Applegate invites readers back into Ivan's world for one last adventure--his most exciting yet.
Ivan has been happily living in a wildlife sanctuary, with his friend Ruby next door in the elephant enclosure, frequent visits from his canine friend Bob, and his mate Kinyani by his side. And in the happiest turn of all, Ivan and Kinyani have welcomed a set of twins to their family!
Ivan loves being a papa, even though it can be hard sometimes. But as he navigates the joys and challenges of parenthood, he can't help but recall his life before the glass walls of the mall circus, his own childhood in the jungle--and his own twin.
In the tradition of timeless classics like Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little, the one and only Katherine Applegate has crafted a poignant, delightful, heartbreaking, unforgettable final foray into the world of Ivan, the world's favorite silverback.
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Ferris
The instant New York Times bestseller!
"Kate DiCamillo's new children's novel is a balm for the soul." - The New York Times
The beloved author of Because of Winn-Dixie has outdone herself with a hilarious and achingly real love story about a girl, a ghost, a grandmother, and growing up.
It's the summer before fifth grade, and for Ferris Wilkey, it is a summer of sheer pandemonium: Her little sister, Pinky, has vowed to become an outlaw. Uncle Ted has left Aunt Shirley and, to Ferris's mother's chagrin, is holed up in the Wilkey basement to paint a history of the world. And Charisse, Ferris's grandmother, has started seeing a ghost at the threshold of her room, which seems like an alarming omen given that she is also feeling unwell. But the ghost is not there to usher Charisse to the Great Beyond. Rather, she has other plans--wild, impractical, illuminating plans. How can Ferris satisfy a specter with Pinky terrorizing the town, Uncle Ted sending Ferris to spy on her aunt, and her father battling an invasion of raccoons?
As Charisse likes to say, "Every good story is a love story," and Kate DiCamillo has written one for the ages: emotionally resonant and healing, showing the two-time Newbery Medalist at her most playful, universal, and profound. -
Odder
Now a #1 New York Times bestseller! A touching and lyrical tale about a remarkable sea otter, from Newbery Medalist Katherine Applegate, author of Wishtree.
Meet Odder, the Queen of Play:
Nobody has her moves.
She doesn’t just swim to the bottom,
she dive-bombs.
She doesn’t just somersault,
she triple-doughnuts.
She doesn’t just ride the waves,
she makes them.
Odder spends her days off the coast of central California, practicing her underwater acrobatics and spinning the quirky stories for which she’s known. She’s a fearless daredevil, curious to a fault. But when Odder comes face-to-face with a hungry great white shark, her life takes a dramatic turn, one that will challenge everything she believes about herself—and about the humans who hope to save her.
Inspired by the true story of a Monterey Bay Aquarium program that pairs orphaned otter pups with surrogate mothers, this poignant and humorous tale told in free verse examines bravery and healing through the eyes of one of nature’s most beloved and charming animals. -
Boop!
This is a snoot. Snoots need boops.
A boop is a pat. A gentle tap. Get your finger ready and . . . BOOP!
There are so many snoots to boop! Snoots attached to big dogs and little dogs and dogs with beards and those without. Are you ready to boop ALL the snoots?
With interactive illustrations by Linzie Hunter (What If, Pig?), this charming, playful, fun, and interactive picture book from Bea Birdsong invites kids to boop all the snoots they see. Perfect for dog lovers of all ages and fans of Press Here and Tap the Magic Tree.
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How to Bird
Birding for everyone, everywhere.
Birding is a joyful, wonder-filled activity that anyone can do. Featuring the skyline and natural spaces of New York City, How to Bird invites children to explore birdwatching, with each page featuring a new birding strategy. A growing body of scientific evidence indicates that seeing and hearing birds makes us happier, and this book shows how everyone, wherever they live, can be a birder.
Birding is a fun and accessible practice for coping with stress, practicing mindfulness, and getting outdoors, and How to Bird shares how to get started and empowers children to find joy in birdwatching.
How to Bird is a culturally relevant, lyrical, succinct, and direct procedural text on birding strategies. Perfect for classroom libraries, this book can be a mentor text for educators teaching procedural writing in kindergarten through third-grade classes.One of New York Public Library's Best Books for Kids 2023
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Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea! (A Narwhal and Jelly Book #1)
A New York Times Bestselling series
“Hilarious and charming. The most lovable duo since Frog and Toad.” —NYT-bestselling creator of the Dog Man and Captain Underpants series, Dav Pilkey
Narwhal is a happy-go-lucky narwhal. Jelly is a no-nonsense jellyfish. The two might not have a lot in common, but they do both love waffles, parties and adventures. Join Narwhal and Jelly as they discover the whole wide ocean together.
A wonderfully silly early graphic novel series featuring three stories. In the first, Jelly learns that Narwhal is a really good friend. Then Narwhal and Jelly form their own pod of awesomeness with their ocean friends. And finally, Narwhal and Jelly read the best book ever -- even though it doesn't have any words...or pictures!
Ben Clanton showcases the joys of friendship, the benefits of working together and the power of imagination in the delightful Narwhal: Unicorn of the Sea. -
The Princess and the (Greedy) Pea
A gluttonous pea runs afoul of a very hungry princess in this playful cautionary tale inspired by a favorite cumulative rhyme and a classic fairy tale.
There was a green pea who swallowed a sprout. Without a doubt, a brussels sprout. What's that about?
This little pea is hungry! So hungry it swallows a sprout, slurps up some soup, munches the bread, gobbles the cake, noshes the pickle, guzzles the cheese, drinks all the tea, and even chomps down the table it's all served on. After all that, it needs to sleep. But whose dinner did it steal? And whose mattress is the now-humungous pea resting under? With bold, delightfully detailed illustrations and a bouncy verse perfect for reading aloud, this wickedly funny mash-up of "The Princess and the Pea" and "There Was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly" will have little listeners clamoring for multiple helpings. -
Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover
From critically acclaimed author Lucy Ruth Cummins and Pete Oswald, New York Times bestselling illustrator of The Sour Grape and The Big Cheese, comes a story featuring Sleepy Sheepy and his very first sleepover!
It's time for Sleepy Sheepy's very first sheepover! But when it's time for bed, Sleepy Sheepy CANNOT SLEEPY! You see, his blankets scratch, and his pj's don't match! Sleepy Sheepy...misses his home! Will Grammy and Grampy ever get their favorite little sheep to sleep?
From acclaimed author Lucy Ruth Cummins and brought to life by New York Times bestselling illustrator Pete Oswald (The Bad Seed, The Good Egg, The Smart Cookie, The Sour Grape), Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover is a fun and funny bedtime read-aloud that will appeal to any child who has felt a bit unsure at their first sleepover.
Praise for Sleepy Sheepy and the Sheepover:
"Young readers needn’t feel sheepish about appreciating this sweet, entertaining story." --Kirkus reviews
"Amusing and endearing. As a classroom read-aloud choice, this picture book is sure to elicit sleepover memories from young listeners." --Booklist
"With humor that can only be dubbed fluffy and terrific bouncy rhymes, this warm bedtime story of a “sheep-over” will be a comfort for young children." -- School Library Journal
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Spring Stinks-A Little Bruce Book
This pint-sized LITTLE BRUCE BOOK is perfect for fans of the Mother Bruce board books.
Ruth the bunny is excited to share the smelly springtime smells of spring with Bruce! But what will Bruce think of all that stink?"Higgins' sparse text is humorously juxtaposed with his signature, detail-packed, engaging illustrations. The mouse-sized treehouse and the despondent, dripping moose are especially delightful. Bruce's unibrow is practically a protagonist in and of itself. Ruth's exuberance plays off Bruce's disgruntledness like a sweet pear off gorgonzola." ---Kirkus Reviews
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Woodland Dance!
The moose plays the cello. The deer, violin. And it’s ONE-two-three, ONE-two-three, time to begin. This mystical, waltzing board book from the one and only Sandra Boynton is a magical book to share with a magical child.
Woodland animals heed the call of the fox’s bugle to join the woodland dance in a moonlit glade, dancing all night to the music of the Woodland Dance Trio. As the animals wander off to bed, the Trio plays one last piece to welcome the sun in this rhythmic story that’s a lovely, lyrical way to start or end the day.
They waltz, or they foxtrot.
They pivot and prance.
And they dance. And they dance.
And they dance. And they dance. -
Partly Cloudy
What do you see when you look at clouds?
Two curious bunnies enjoy watching clouds go by. But when they look at the sky, they each see something completely different! While one bunny likes to use his imagination and sees cotton candy or whipped cream, the other bunny can only see the science behind them. Together they learn that cloud watching is much more fun when they can see it through each other's eyes.
With extensive back matter about the many kinds of clouds and the water cycle, celebrated author and illustrator Deborah Freedman once again combines the educational with the whimsical, while introducing young readers to two irresistible characters who see the power of possibility. -
Timmy Failure: Now Look What Mistakes Were Made
The first two hilarious tales in the New York Times best-selling Timmy Failure series — together in one volume!
Meet Timmy Failure, the clueless, comically overconfident detective. Add his impressively lazy business partner, a very large polar bear named Total, and what do you get? Total Failure, Inc. — the best detective agency in town, perhaps even the nation. Perfectly paced and full of visual humor, this bind-up of Timmy’s first two adventures combines hilarity and heart for a deceptively sweet and outrageously funny read. -
Hippos Remain Calm
Catch up with the party-loving hippos from Hippos Go Berserk! in this long-awaited picture book more than forty-five years in the making—from the one and only Sandra Boynton!
Hippos have a reputation for wild parties that go on till dawn. People have even gone so far as to say that partying hippos “go berserk.” Nobody knows how these rumors got started.
But even if it’s true (it is), it’s not the whole story. Given the deep appreciation that hippos have for water, it’s no wonder that your average hippopotamus seeks, finds, and offers a state of flow, no matter the situation.
We have much to learn from their example. Accordingly, this helpful book follows two typical hippos as they calmly and mindfully go about their ordinary hippo day.
“O, flare thy wild nostrils,
And welcome the day!
Onward! And upward!
Come what will,
come what may.”
Upcoming Events
Special Event
You never know what you’ll discover at MPL!
Manitowoc Public Library is thrilled to welcome the “American Farmer” traveling exhibition to our community, hosting this amazing display for an extended period, from Monday, June 17, through Sunday, October 20.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
Unattended Children
Children under the age of 8 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian at all times.
Friends of Manitowoc Public Library monthly meeting.
Join us in the Idea Box for a demonstration of the Cricut Maker, a machine that cuts and scores a variety of materials for hobby crafting.
Disclaimer(s)
Accessibility
Individuals requesting accommodation for disabilities should contact the Library's ADA Manager Stacey Bialek at 920-686-3008 or sbialek@manitowoc.org. Reasonable accommodations will be made as quickly as possible, often within a week.
Drop-In Employment Assistance: Department of Workforce Development staff will provide onsite services, including resume writing, assistance with online applications, assistance registering in Job Center of Wisconsin, and more!&nbs
The Manitowoc County Genealogical Society will be in the Manitowoc Collection every Tuesday from 3-5PM to help people with their genealogy research.
Special Event
You never know what you’ll discover at MPL!
Do you have a novel or short story you want to write? How about a screenplay or a memoir? Poetry? Graphic novels? Then you need – Space to Write!