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Teens, think of this week’s article from A. K. Smiley Public Library as a mullet: a “business up front, party in the back” piece of writing. Read on to experience the world’s first—and probably last— literary version of a 1980s hairdo.

Of course, it is logical to begin with the business end of this mullet-essay, so first, let me introduce you to an indispensable database available through A.K. Smiley Public Library’s online resources: the Gale Testing and Education Reference Center.

It’s hard to imagine a more anxiety-producing database title than one that includes the words “testing,” “education,” and “reference,” but I promise you, this digital resource has a little something for everyone, especially teens. From SAT and Advanced Placement (AP) prep and practice tests to career advice and work-related exams and e-courses featuring cosmetology, firefighting, nursing, massage therapy, nail technology, real estate, military, and more, the Gale Testing and Education Reference Center is at your service. Need help writing a resume? Check. Want to know what college scholarships you may be eligible for? Check. Need a hand creating a customized list of dream colleges based on criteria that are important to you? Yep, that too.

With so much of the school year still cloaked in unknowns, rest-assured that this virtual test, college, and career-prep database is here for you whenever you need it. You can access it via A.K. Smiley Public Library’s website through the eLibrary tab or the Teens’ page, located under the Services tab. The first time you use it, you will create a free account, which will grant you access to all the aforementioned goods. But before you run off to check it out…

No self-respecting mullet manuscript would be complete without its “party in the back” component, so let’s get to it. This party takes the form of two hair-raising, must-read YA mystery recommendations: “One of Us is Lying” by Karen McManus and “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” by Holly Jackson. You can’t go wrong with either of these books—that is, unless you want to go to bed early and get your recommended eight hours of sleep.

In “One of Us is Lying,” four teens—a jock, a brain, a popular girl, and a bad boy— find themselves plunged into the heart of a murder investigation when their classmate and creator of their school’s most salacious gossip website dies under mysterious circumstances. The four, whose secrets were about to be exposed in the dead teen’s next post, are the obvious prime suspects, but which one of them is capable of murder? “One of Us is Lying” is a roller coaster ride of the most thrilling variety, with plenty of unexpected revelations and some final heart-pounding moments that make for delicious up-all-night reading.

Would you like to pull two all-nighters in the same weekend [disclaimer: this practice is not recommended]? “A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder” is equally suspenseful, especially if you enjoy true crime podcasts. For Pip’s senior capstone project, she decides to open her own investigation into a suspected murder/suicide that happened at her high school four years earlier.

Pip never believed the official police report: that high school student Sal Singh murdered his beautiful and popular girlfriend Andie and then killed himself. She is determined to get to the bottom of what really happened, and as she digs deeper into the past, Pip exposes major gaps in the evidence and clues that point to other possible perpetrators. With help from Sal’s brother, Pip begins to unearth a string of secrets that someone wants to remain underground. And they’ll stop at nothing to keep them that way.

Both of these titles are available as physical books using our Books-to-Go program, or downloadable eBooks via OverDrive.

And there you have it. The world’s first mullet-inspired newspaper article. Be sure to join me next month for the world’s first literary man-bun. Or will it be a bowl cut? Stay tuned…

Take a literary ride with me, if you will, through some of our new books, which involve horses. Thoughts of the American West, for some, may conjure up images of cowboys and horses. I would like to bring to your attention some of our new books, which will have you thinking about horses and their role in the West, past and present, from a broader perspective.

Ginger Gaffney is a horse trainer who volunteered to work with troubled horses and troubled inmates at an alternative prison ranch in New Mexico. “Half Broke: A Memoir” is quite a journey as she tells of her experiences working with feral and dangerous horses and with prisoners with addiction, anger, and physical and emotional issues, as well as with her own personal struggles. The ranch is run by the inmates and the interplay between healing both them and the horses as they work together is a roller coaster of triumphs and tragedies. Failure for the ranch hands means back to prison and failure for the horses is not an option for Gaffney. The human-animal relationships are key to the rehabilitation for both of them.

Humans bonding with horses is also a prominent theme in “The Compton Cowboys: The New Generation of Cowboys in America’s Urban Heartland” by New York Times reporter Walter Thompson-Hernandez. In 1988 realtor Mayisha Akbar founded the Compton Junior Posse and Richland Farms as a way to give the youth a safe place to learn horsemanship, form connections with the horses, and have a therapeutic alternative to their rough streets and difficult home lives. Author Thompson-Hernandez grew up not far from Richland Farms and his familiarity with the neighborhood violence and pain gives him an inside perspective and acceptance into the world of the Compton Cowboys, who he remembers from his youth. The story line encompasses the history and legacy of Black cowboys, Compton’s history, the intimate struggles of the cowboys, Olympic and rodeo hopefuls, and the efforts to keep the ranch and its mission alive by continuing to attract local youth and donors.

Horses and cowboys may come to mind when you think of Wyoming, but probably not when you think of Hawaii. The authors of “Aloha Rodeo:  Three Hawaiian Cowboys, the World’s Greatest Rodeo, and a Hidden History of the American West” will help change that. David Wolman and Julian Smith take the reader on a historic journey of Hawaiian cowboys (paniolo) that begins with the introduction of cattle to the islands in the 1700s, cattle ranching in the 1800s, and into the 1900s when mainland cowboys were invited to Hawaii for rodeo competition and Hawaiian paniolo were, in turn, invited to the Wyoming Cheyenne Roundup. Readers with an interest in history of the American West, rodeo history, and history of Hawaii will not be disappointed in this all-encompassing book.

These titles, as well as other books on horses, the American West, historical fiction, western fiction and much more are available through our Books to Go program. Check our website at www.akspl.org or call (909)798-7565 for more information.

Since traveling is limited nowadays, I have found other ways to get away–with my imagination and the power of the written word. Here at A. K. Smiley Public Library we have a library full of new books that are ready to transport you to far off destinations, be it to another country or to an entirely different decade. Luckily for you, a passport is not required.

“We Ride Upon Sticks,” by Quan Barry is one of my favorite books this year. The novel transports readers to 1989 to Danvers, Massachusetts (neighboring town to the infamous Salem, Massachusetts) and follows the mainly all girls and one boy varsity field hockey team. Let’s just say the team isn’t known for winning. Sick of being on the losing side, the team takes matters into their own hands and decides that they need some supernatural assistance. This book has it all: 80s references, overly processed bangs referred to as ‘the claw,’ and most importantly, the power of friendship. Get swept up in this fun and empowering book and find out if the Danvers Falcons make it all the way to the State Championship, with or without a little help from the dark side.

“Shuggie Bain,” by Douglas Stuart, is a hauntingly beautiful novel that has been long listed for the prestigious Booker Prize award in England. The novel takes place during the Thatcher administration in Glasgow, Scotland and focuses on a young boy named Hugh ‘Shuggie’ Bain and his unwavering devotion to his mother Agnes, who would rather spend her weekly government allowance on beer than on food. Shuggie struggles to survive in an environment where the odds of survival are stacked against him. To say this novel is a feel good read would be a lie. This book is gritty, harrowing, and, at times, you almost feel like your heart has been ripped out of your chest, but Stuart’s words and imagery are too beautiful to not want to continue to read about young Shuggie Bain.

“Mexican Gothic,” by Silvia Moreno-Garcia is a sweeping Gothic suspense novel. The novel transports the reader to 1950s Mexico where Noemi Taboada receives a frantic letter from her newly married cousin Catalina. Concerned for her cousin’s well being, Noemi rushes to her aid to ‘High Place,’ a remote mansion located in the Mexican countryside. Upon her arrival, Noemi is greeted by her cousin’s bizarre new family that may be up to something sinister. This is a tense novel that will keep you up reading into the night.

Reserve these titles now with our Books-to-Go service. For more information on this service call the Library at 909-798-7565 or visit our website, www.akspl.org. Travel safely, courtesy of A. K. Smiley Public Library.

Rock. Pop. Classical. Jazz. Rap. Country. Over forty brand new music biographies, histories, studies and appreciations have been added to our collection and are ready for check out. Take a look at the following selections and enjoy the wide-ranging assortment of tuneful titles to take home.

One of the strongest voices in the 1950s and 1960s folk revival scene during the Civil Rights Movement was Odetta Holmes, or just Odetta as she was known. Born in Birmingham, Alabama in 1930, this influential singer songwriter brought to light the folk songs, plantation work songs, and chain gang songs that depicted racial inequality and struggle through her music and political activism. She was a major inspiration to many well-known artists including Bob Dylan, Joan Baez, and Harry Belafonte. “Odetta: A Life in Music and Protest” by Ian Zack examines her musical beginnings, introduction into the world of folk music while on tour in San Francisco, and rise from coffeehouse to Carnegie Hall. Her political involvement included marches alongside Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. While the white folk musicians around her received the recognition which eluded her, she stood with integrity and conveyed a vital message to educate and advocate for social change through her powerful vocals and guitar. When you get a chance, listen to her music. You’ll be glad you did.

With fifteen Grammy wins to her credit, there is no doubt that Alicia Keys is an extremely talented musician with an amazing voice and pianistic prowess. In her honest biography “More Myself: A Journey” she invites you into her life: her childhood, family, and musical career. Born in 1981, in the Hell’s Kitchen area of Manhattan, she was determined to rise above the tough way of life, drugs, and prostitution she saw around her. Keys’ mother, whose guidance was steadfast, introduced her to music at an early age through jazz records by Thelonious Monk, Miles Davis, and Ella Fitzgerald. Classical and jazz piano lessons starting in first grade and Professional Performing Arts School at twelve followed, allowing her creativity to flourish and instilling in her a lifelong love of music. She takes you through the evolution of her music, discusses celebrity friendships and life with husband Swizz Beatz. Social activism is an important part of her life and she fights injustice through song, as well as action, as exemplified in her charity work and nonprofit organizations. Join her on her journey as she learns the great importance of being true to herself.

With the variety of new music books we have on hand, I’m sure there will be something that will pique your interest. Here are just a few more popular titles we have available for your consideration:

Familiar Faces:

“Acid for the Children: A Memoir” by Flea; “Beethoven: the Relentless Revolutionary” by John Clubbe; “Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young: the Wild, Definitive Saga of Rock’s Greatest Supergroup” by David Browne; “Dave Brubeck: A Life in Time” by Philip Clark; “Face It” by Debbie Harry; “Janis: Her Life and Music” by Holly George-Warren; “Jay-Z: Made in America” by Michael Eric Dyson; “Me” by Elton John; “Me & Patsy Kickin’ Up Dust: My Friendship with Patsy Cline” by Loretta Lynn; “Summertime: George Gershwin’s Life in Music” by Richard Crawford; “Texas Flood: the Inside Story of Stevie Ray Vaughan” by Alan Paul and Andy Aledort.

Illustrated Offerings:

“Bruce Springsteen: the Stories Behind the Songs” by Brian Hiatt; “Carpenters: An Illustrated Discography” by Randy Schmidt; “Country Music” by Dayton Duncan, based on a documentary film by Ken Burns; “Women Who Rock: Bessie to Beyonce. Girl Groups to Riot Grrrl” edited by Evelyn McDonnell; “Woodstock: 3 Days of Peace & Music” by Michael Lang.

Musical Musings:

“Decoding Dylan: Making Sense of the Songs that Changed Modern Culture” by James M. Curtis; “For the Love of Music: A Conductor’s Guide to the Art of Listening” by John Mauceri; “Music: A Subversive History” by Ted Gioia; “Songs of America: Patriotism, Protest, and the Music that Made a Nation” by Jon Meacham and Tim McGraw; “William S. Burroughs & the Cult of Rock ‘n’ Roll” by Casey Rae.

These titles may be checked out through our Books-to-Go program. Give us a call at 909 798-7565 or visit our website at www.akspl.org for more information.