Plano Reads: Book Selfies, Episode 9

The libraries may be closed, but our love of reading and recommending never ends!

Your Plano Public Library staff are virtually recommending our latest favorite reads, and below is the list of these titles, with additional read-alikes you can checkout on Overdrive and the Libby app.

See all Book Selfies posts here.

Splat the Cat series by Rob Scotton

Recommended by: Melanie S. at Haggard Library, available as eBooks and eAudiobooks

Genre: juvenile fiction

Description: Splat the Cat and his best friend Seymour (a mouse) navigate life’s challenges, like starting school, rehearsing for a play, trick-or-treating and more, overcoming occasional nerves with good humor, kindness and friendship.

Splat the Cat Read-alikes

Pete the Cat series by James Dean
Fly Guy series by Tedd Arnold
The Berenstain Bears series by Stan & Jan Berenstain

True Crime genre

Recommended by: Sarah O. at Haggard Library, available as eBooks and eAudiobooks

Description: A nonfiction genre depicting or based on real-life crimes

Examples:

In Cold Blood by Truman Capote
Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann
I’ll Be Gone in the Dark: One Woman’s Obsessive Search for the Golden State Killer by Michelle McNamara

Author John Bellairs

Recommended by: Erik K. at Davis Library, available as eBooks and eAudiobooks

Genre: juvenile fiction

Description from Novelist: John Bellairs was the author of intricately plotted, suspenseful horror and fantasy mystery series featuring young detectives and often involving a supernatural element.

John Bellairs Read-alikes

Books by Jacqueline West
Books by Brian Farrey
Books by R.L. Stine

Author Maya Angelou

Recommended by: Lauren S. at Davis Library, available as eBooks and eAudiobooks

Genre: memoir, essays, poetry, juvenile literature

Description from Novelist: Maya Angelou’s books address themes of racial prejudice with forceful candor. Her autobiographical novels have become a cornerstone of 20th-century literature, reflecting the cruelty of segregation and the strength of the African-American community. For kids, Angelou wrote upbeat, poetry-infused picture books with a multicultural focus.

Maya Angelou Read-alikes

Books by Alice Walker
Books by Toni Morrison
Books by Jacqueline Woodson

Author Attica Locke

Recommended by: Amanda M. at Davis Library, available as eBooks and eAudiobooks

Genre: Mystery

Description from Novelist: Attica Locke writes atmospheric African-American mysteries and thrillers set in Texas and Louisiana, featuring complicated protagonists and intricate plots. Racism and class issues are often addressed, adding depth to her stories, while her style alternates between gritty and lyrical — all in the service of conjuring a present where past injustices resonate.