The Travelling Cat Chronicles

The Travelling Cat Chronicles by Hiro Arikawa

Summary: A life-affirming anthem to kindness and self-sacrifice, The Travelling Cat Chronicles shows how the smallest things can provide the greatest joy. We take journeys to explore exotic new places and to return to the comforts of home, to visit old acquaintances and to make new friends. But the most important journey is the one that shows us how to follow our hearts... 

An instant international bestseller, The Travelling Cat Chronicles has charmed readers around the world. With simple yet descriptive prose,this novel gives voice to Nana the cat and his owner, Satoru, as they take to the road on a journey with no other purpose than to visit three of Satoru's longtime friends. Or so Nana is led to believe... 

With his crooked tail--a sign of good fortune--and adventurous spirit, Nana is the perfect companion for the man who took him in as a stray. And as they travel in a silver van across Japan, with its ever-changing scenery and seasons, they will learn the true meaning of courage and gratitude, of loyalty and love.

Angie’s comments: Nana the cat is the main narrator in this book, and it is funny, heart-warming, sobering, and sad at times. It is about loss and love.  What a beautiful tale. 

Recommended for readers interested in books about connections.

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Are u ok?

Are u ok? A Guide to Caring for Your Mental Health by Kati Morton

Summary: A licensed family therapist and You Tube personality, Kati Morton answers the most commonly asked questions about mental health, including when to get help and where to find it.

Everyone struggles with mental health issues from time to time, but the greatest level of misunderstanding comes from knowing the difference between mental health and mental illness, figuring out whether we need professional help and, if so, how to find it. Are u ok? walks readers through the most commonly asked questions about mental health and the process of getting help. 

From finding the best therapist to navigating harmful and toxic relationships and everything in between, licensed family therapist and YouTube sensation Kati Morton clarifies and de-stigmatizes the struggles so many of us go through, and encourages readers to reach out for help. What are the red flags of a mental health issue? How do you go about making a first therapy appointment? How do you know if your therapist is a good fit for you? What are the best ways of talking about mental health with your family, friends and colleagues? 

There are so many questions and concerns, and in the down-to-earth, friendly tone that makes Kati Morton so popular on YouTube, Are u ok? informs and reminds us that we can get through the difficult times and we are never alone.

Angie’s comments: This is a nice guide to mental health therapy for any teen or adult. Lots of possible questions are answered, and the overall tone is uplifting. Even if you are already in therapy, this book may help you, especially in regards to your relationship with your therapist. 

Recommended for anyone interested in mental health. 

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Everyday Millionaires

Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth and How You Can Too by Chris Hogan

Summary: Everywhere we turn, we hear negative financial news--that the American Dream is dead or that the little man can't get ahead. Our culture feeds us the lie that it's impossible to become a millionaire in America today, but it's time you heard the truth.

In his newest book, Everyday Millionaires: How Ordinary People Built Extraordinary Wealth--and How You Can Too, Chris Hogan destroys millionaire myths that are keeping everyday people from achieving financial independence. Chris and the Ramsey research team surveyed over 10,000 US millionaires,discovering how these high-net-worth people reached their financial status. And the formula might surprise you.

Millionaire status doesn't require inheriting a bunch of money or having a high-paying job. No. The path to becoming a millionaire is paved with more-ordinary tools--tools that you either already have or that you can learn. If you thought you could never become a millionaire, think again. Listen and learn from over 10,000 everyday millionaires who have done it and believe it's possible for you too.

Angie’s comments: This book can be your cheerleader as you try to save money. Positive, uplifting, and easy to read, this may help you save money when it is hard. It doesn't give specific steps, unlike some other self-help financial books, but it gives general guidance and is meant to give you the attitude that you can do it too. 

Recommended for readers looking for an upbeat, you-can-do-it financial book.

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Guess the theme

Can you figure out the theme uniting these books? Wendy Wax Sunshine Beach Request this item Beatriz Williams Cocoa Beach Request this item JoAnn Ross  Moonshell Beach Request this item If you want any more suggestions or ideas, please call or come in the library today!

Dirty John

Dirty John and Other True Stories of Outlaws and Outsiders by Christopher Goffard

Summary: A collection of newspaper stories by award-winning Los Angeles Times reporter Christopher Goffard--including "Dirty John," the basis for the hit podcast and the upcoming Bravo scripted series starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana.

Since its release in fall 2017, the "Dirty John" podcast--about a conman who terrorizes a Southern California family--has been downloaded more than 20 million times, and will soon premiere as a scripted drama on Bravo starring Connie Britton and Eric Bana. The story, which also ran as a print series in the Los Angeles Times, wasn't unfamiliar terrain to its writer, Christopher Goffard. Over two decades at newspapers from Florida to California, Goffard has reported probingly on the shadowy, unseen corners of society. This book gathers together for the first time "Dirty John" and the rest of his very best work.

"The $40 Lawyer" provides an inside account of a young public defender's rookie year in the legal trenches. "Framed" offers an unblinking chronicle of suburban mayhem (and is currently being developed by Netflix as a film starring Julia Roberts). A man wrongly imprisoned for rape, train-riding runaways in love, a Syrian mother forced to leave her children in order to save them, a boy who grows up to become a cop as a way of honoring his murdered sister, another boy who struggles with the knowledge that his father is on death row: these stories reveal the complexities of human nature, showing people at both their most courageous and their most flawed.

Goffard shared in the Los Angeles Times' Pulitzer Prize for Public Service in 2011 and has twice been a Pulitzer finalist for feature writing. This collection--a must-read for fans of both true-crime and first-rate narrative nonfiction--underscores his reputation as one of today's most original journalistic voices.

Angie’s comments: Far more than just true crime stories, this collection includes stories about relationships. The public defender story is especially interesting, as it devels into the life of a public defender attorney. And the story about the child whose father is on death row leads to some questions about love, faith, and therapy. 

Recommended for readers interested in true crime, family relationships, and/or short stories about people.

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