Library Research: My Perfect Read: Drew Bigelow

Drew Bigelow

Drew Bigelow reading a book.

I grew up in libraries. I remember being that five-year-old kid following my mom around at her job at the public library in Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas, or being at her side when she volunteered at my brother's school's library, where the librarians me let check out as many books as I wanted (even though I didn't go to school there yet). No matter where I've been, where I've gone, libraries have always been there for me, helping me cultivate my love for books. And here I am, working for Fairfax County Public Libraries, ready to help others find that perfect book that they'll hopefully love themselves!

My taste in books is a bit all over the place. I tend to lean towards realistic fiction and science fiction/fantasy (if there is something even referencing witches in the title, I will be there), but I do enjoy a good horror story as well. There is something fun about getting scared, being kept on the edge of your seat, like with Katherine Arden's Small Spaces or Neil Gaiman's Coraline, both of which I highly recommend. I am also a hardcore picture book lover, with the firm belief that the best picture books are the ones that appeal to both kids and grown ups alike, like Jon Klassen or Mac Barnett. I firmly believe that public libraries should have something for everyone, no matter what.

I started off as an art major at Virginia Commonwealth—switched over to English with a writing minor Sophomore year. I'm still drawing, mostly cartoons featuring talking walruses, witches, and whatever else pops into my head. I also enjoy writing a great deal, as well as puttering around in the kitchen and attempting to play video games.

Genres of Interest:

Fiction
Young Adult Fiction
Juvenile Fiction
Graphic Novels
Picture Books

Fiction

A Man Called Ove by Fredrik Backman
Courting Mr. Lincoln by Louis Bayard
The Witch's Daughter by Paula Brackston
Good Omens by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
Horrorstor, by Grady Hendrix
The Way of the Househusband, by Kensuke Oono (Manga)

Young Adult

House of Salt and Sorrow by Erin A. Craig
Bounce by Natasha Friend
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer
Burn Our Bodies Down by Rory Power
Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children by Ransom Riggs

Juvenile Fiction

Eva Evergreen, Semi-Magical Witch by Julie Abe
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
The War That Saved My Life by Kimberly Brubaker Bradley
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo
The Whispers by Greg Howard
The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster
A Wrinkle in Time by Madeleine L'Engle
Matylda Bright and Tender by Holly M. McGhee

Graphic Novels (Young Adult and Juvenile Fiction)

Anya's Ghost by Vera Brosgol
The Phantom Twin by Lisa Brown
Through the Woods by Emily Carroll
Beetle and the Hollowbones by Aliza Layne
Heartstopper by Alice Oseman
The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner
Mooncakes by Suzanne Walker
Kerry and the Knight of the Forest by Andi Watson
Newsprints by Ru Xu

Picture Books

Chloe and the Lion by Mac Barnett
Julia's House for Lost Creatures by Ben Hatke
This is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen
Squids Will Be Squids by Jon Scieszka
Unicorn Thinks He's Pretty Great by Bob Shea
Giraffe Problems by Lane Smith
Lottie and Walter by Anna Walker

The Ten Thousand Doors of January by Alix E. Harrow
ISBN: 9780316421997
Publication Date: 2019-09-10
In the early 1900s, a young woman embarks on a fantastical journey of self-discovery after finding a mysterious book in this captivating and lyrical debut. In a sprawling mansion filled with peculiar treasures, January Scaller is a curiosity herself. As the ward of the wealthy Mr. Locke, she feels little different from the artifacts that decorate the halls: carefully maintained, largely ignored, and utterly out of place. Then she finds a strange book. A book that carries the scent of other worlds, and tells a tale of secret doors, of love, adventure and danger. Each page turn reveals impossible truths about the world and January discovers a story increasingly entwined with her own. Lush and richly imagined, a tale of impossible journeys, unforgettable love, and the enduring power of stories awaits in Alix E. Harrow's spellbinding debut--step inside and discover its magic.
The Ocean at the End of the Lane by Neil Gaiman
ISBN: 9780062255655
Publication Date: 2013-06-18
Having just finished delivering a eulogy, our unnamed narrator finds himself back at his childhood home in Sussex, England. He ends up at the home of the Hempstocks, his childhood neighbors consisting of a grandmother, a mother, and 11-year-old Lettie. He begins to reminisce, thinking back to when he was seven, and met the Hempstocks for the first time, coinciding with the suicide of a stranger. Other memories, however, begin to surface - memories that show that the Hempstocks are not as they seem; memories of another world bordering ours; memories that tell of an evil that permeated his family, threatening to lay waste to our world...
The Lie Tree by Frances Hardinge
ISBN: 9781419718953
Publication Date: 2016-04-19
Fourteen-year-old burgeoning scientist Faith Sunderly and her family leave their home in Kent, England to the island of Vane, where her father has been asked to take part in a dig. Faith, however, knows the real reason behind them leaving - the scandal that her father has tried to outrun. Soon after their arrival, her father is found dead. It's declared an accident - but Faith thinks otherwise. She soon discovers one of her father's most treasured possessions: a tree that, when told a lie, bears fruit that reveals the truth to the eater. Faith sets out on her own investigation, determined to find the murderer with the help of the tree. But will it help her solve the mystery? Or will it lead to the murderer coming after her?
Cinder by Marissa Meyer
ISBN: 9780312641894
Publication Date: 2012-01-03
Cinderella gets a futuristic twist in the first book of the Lunar Chronicles. Cinder is a talented mechanic living in New Beijing in a dystopian, post World War IV future. Treated as a second class citizen due to her cyborg status, she is mistreated by her domineering stepmother and stepsister Pearl, with only her android assistant Iko for company. And yet, she still manages to cross paths with Prince Kai, who wants her help fixing a broken android. When letumosis, a deadly plague spreading across the Earth, threatens the life of her stepsister Peony, Cinder is "volunteered" as a test subject to find a cure for the disease - only to make a startling discovery about herself. Realizing that she may be connected to the mysterious people of Luna living on the Moon, and the evil Queen Levana, who's heading to Earth in order to make a marriage deal with Prince Kai, Cinder might just be Earth's last hope.
A Good Girl's Guide to Murder by Holly Jackson
ISBN: 9781984896391
Publication Date: 2021-01-05
Everyone in Fairview knows the story.

Pretty and popular high school senior Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend, Sal Singh, who then killed himself. It was all anyone could talk about. And five years later, Pip sees how the tragedy still haunts her town.

But she can't shake the feeling that there was more to what happened that day. She knew Sal when she was a child, and he was always so kind to her. How could he possibly have been a killer?

Now a senior herself, Pip decides to reexamine the closed case for her final project, at first just to cast doubt on the original investigation. But soon she discovers a trail of dark secrets that might actually prove Sal innocent . . . and the line between past and present begins to blur. Someone in Fairview doesn't want Pip digging around for answers, and now her own life might be in danger.
Small Spaces by Katherine Arden
ISBN: 9780525515029
Publication Date: 2018-09-25
Still reeling from the loss of her mother, Ollie Adler encounters a strange woman about to destroy an old book, which she manages to rescue. The book, Small Spaces, tells the story of the Webster family as they bargain with a demonic figure known only as the Smiling Man. Things take a turn for the strange when a field trip to a nearby farm reveals that the Websters' story might be true, and only get more terrifying when the bus breaks down in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by fields of scarecrows. As the fog rolls in, Ollie's digital watch blinks to life, displaying a single word: RUN. Ollie and her classmates Coco and Brian flee the bus, catapulted into a frightening situation with only the words of advice from their creepy bus driver: avoid large places...and keep to small spaces.
The Okay Witch by Emma Steinkellner (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781534431454
Publication Date: 2019-09-03
Thirteen-year-old Moth Hush loves all things witchy. But she's about to discover that witches aren't just the stuff of movies, books, and spooky stories. When some eighth-grade bullies try to ruin her Halloween, something really strange happens. It turns out that Founder's Bluff, Massachusetts, has a centuries-old history of witch drama. And, surprise: Moth's family is at the center of it all! When Moth's new powers show up, things get totally out-of-control. She meets a talking cat, falls into an enchanted diary, and unlocks a hidden witch world. Secrets surface from generations past as Moth unravels the complicated legacy at the heart of her town, her family, and herself.
This Is Not My Hat by Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780763655990
Publication Date: 2012-10-09
"This is not my hat." And with that, a small fish swims off with a small blue bowler hat, having snatched it from a much larger fish. But he isn't worried - there's no way that larger fish will ever find him, right?

Moral of the story: never trust a crab.

I am a full-time Library Circulation Aide at Kingstowne Library, and as of now I am typically available Monday-Thursday, 10 AM to 6 PM. My schedule may shift, so please allow a day or two for me to get back to you. And let's go find that next perfect read!

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