Book Buzz

Episode 131 - Air date: Dec. 7, 2025

JESSICA:

Hi, this is Jessica Russell. I’m the assistant director of collection services at Sno-Isle Libraries. And welcome to Book Buzz.

Today’s two reading recommendations will introduce you to handpicked favorites that have captured the hearts and minds of our staff. We’ll give you the inside scoop on titles you may not have heard about.

First, we’re going to hear from Jayanne, librarian at the Freeland Library, for a sweet tale of a teen with special powers. Go ahead, Jayanne!

JAYANNE:

Thanks, Jessica. Some people have magic, and some wizards use their amazing control over lightning or water to defend the kingdom. In “A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking” by T. Kingfisher, 14-year-old Mona doesn’t have that kind of big or flashy magic. That’s fine by Mona. Her magic works on dough and baked goods, which is far more practical considering she lives and works at her aunt and uncle’s bakery.

Unfortunately, there’s an assassin hunting down all the magic folk and one of the victims ends up on the floor of the bakery. Mona is accused of the murder and is hauled off to the palace to be tried. What starts as a murder mystery grows bigger and more complex, not unlike Mona’s familiar Bob, a sentient sourdough starter.

Mona is extremely relatable. She is a sensible girl who doesn’t understand why some adults are so clueless or why you can never find a bathroom when you need one. While she has no desire to be a hero, the actions she takes (which rarely go smoothly) come from her desire to protect her friends, family, and city.

There is a lot of humor and heart in this award-winning story, but you may never look at gingerbread men and sourdough the same way ever again.

JESSICA:

Thanks, Jayanne! Sounds deliciously magical!

Next, let’s hear from Alexander, library associate at the Darrington Library, who will take us WAY back in time. Go ahead, Alexander.

ALEXANDER:

“The Rise and Fall of the Dinosaurs” by Steve Brusatte is like reading an Attenborough nature documentary. This is no dull textbook, but popular science at its best, driven by Brusatte’s passion & expertise.

The author weaves the telling of the age of dinosaurs with the narrative of his own life as a paleontologist. For example, as Brusatte describes the rise of the dinosaurs from among other ancient animals, he shares through the lens of his early-career study of fossilized footprints.

This book does more than bring dinosaurs to life on the page: the author introduces the tools and methods of inquiry scientists have used to build our current understanding of the past in a way that laypersons can comfortably follow.

He ties the historical narrative into the real life work he and other paleontologists are doing to understand these creatures and the harsh world which influenced their development into such diverse forms.

And who isn’t here for amazing dinosaur facts?! How the challenges of being history’s largest land animals were overcome, how scientists found physical evidence of what color some dinosaurs might have been, how modern birds have a unique respiratory system that many dinosaurs shared, and how crocodiles almost beat out dinosaurs as the dominant reptiles of the ancient world!

For all the grown-up “dinosaur kids” out there, this is definitely one to seek out!

JESSICA:

Thanks, Alexander! Pro tip — if you listen to the audiobook version, you won’t have to guess how to pronounce the Latin names of the animals, the narrator has already figured it out.

Join us next time, when we’ll explore more great reading recommendations — interesting books you can find at your favorite local bookstore or at your local library.

Until then, I’m Jessica Russell from Sno-Isle Libraries.

Thanks for joining us for Book Buzz on KSER.