While we are all home, we wanted to share what some of our staff members are reading, watching, and listening to. The recommendations are from our digital collection as well as outside platforms. If you need recommendations, fill out the form here: https://bit.ly/2w2rQWm.
Books
The popular tv show is based on a book! Jennifer Worth’s memoir shares her time as a young woman who leaves her comfortable home to move into a convent and become a midwife in postwar London’s East End slums. An illuminating look into this time in history as well as a warm-hearted tale for anyone who has a mother.
Read the ebook on Libby
Listen to the audiobook on Hoopla
Watch the show on Hoopla
The New York Times bestselling story of Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative reporter Ronan Farrow journey to expose abuse of power in Hollywood and corporate America.
Read the ebook on Libby
Listen to the audiobook on Libby
The Voting Booth by Brandy Colbert is a YA book that manages to be a rom-com and also tackle civic engagement, voter suppression and racism. And do it really well! This all-in-one day love story begins when Marva sees Duke turned away from their polling place. When she takes it upon herself to make sure his vote gets counted, they work against a rigged system to create change.
Find a copy of the book
Welcoming the Unwelcome by Pema Chodron is a very appropriate reminder of practicing awareness starting from the place of a “broken heart” or disturbed state of being. This book is full of insight on the author’s own practices and has simple and easy to follow mediation practice guides.
Find a copy of the book
Faith Taking Flight by Julie Murphy is the first in a two-book origin story of Faith, a groundbreaking, plus-sized superhero from Valiant Entertainment comics.
Find a copy of the book.
YouTube Videos
Mo Willems’ “Lunch Doodles” on YouTube gives some behind-the-scenes tidbits about the making of some of his books. He does some fun, short drawing exercises that kids can join in with.
Watch here.
Mo Willems books on Hoopla
Mo Willems books on Libby app
John Krasinski put together a “news” show from his home featuring just good news called SGN (Some Good News). If you need a pick me up to see some good in the world or if you are a fan of The Office, be sure to check this out. There is a special cameo by Steve Carell.
Watch it here.
Watch The Office on Netflix
Watch Tom Clancy on Amazon Prime
Audiobooks
There is nothing harder to do than nothing in the modern world where our value is determined by our productivity. How to Do Nothing by Jenny O’Dell argues that doing nothing may be our most important form of resistance, which is an interesting thought in the days of COVID-19.
Listen to the audiobook on Hoopla
Movies
In 18th century France a young painter, Marianne, is commissioned to do the wedding portrait of Héloïse without her knowing. Therefore, Marianne must observe her model by day to paint her portrait at night. Day by day, the two women become closer as they share Héloïse’s last moments of freedom before the impending wedding.
Watch it on Hulu here.
In 2015 a pair of barbers in Ypsilanti, Michigan started a program: Read to your barber. Get a haircut. Get a two dollar refund. The film explores this effort by local barbers to improve their customers’ literacy.
Watch it on Kanopy here.
TV Shows
The Handmaid’s Tale. Surprisingly I am not binge watching this TV series; because, the futuristic society portrayed is especially disturbing in light of what is going on in the world right now during this Covid-19 epidemic.
Watch it on Hulu here.
Forty years after leaving the swamp in his big screen debut in “The Muppet Movie,” Kermit the Frog is heading upstream with Miss Piggy, and the gang, bringing a new kind of mayhem and laughter to Disney+ with their first-ever unscripted short-form series, “Muppets Now.”
Watch on Disney+
Cutting-edge Victorian science meets cunningly plotted mystery in this “stylish period thriller”. In the 1890s, Detective William Murdoch adopts modern techniques like “finger marks” and forensics to track Toronto’s most sinister killers. Though derided by his skeptical boss, Murdoch finds friends and allies in a lovely pathologist and an eager-to-learn constable. Along the way they cross paths with some of the era’s most famous figures, including Nikola Tesla, Arthur Conan Doyle, and Prince Alfred.
Watch on Hoopla
Podcasts
Justin, Travis, and Griffin McElroy from My Brother, My Brother and Me have recruited their dad Clint for a campaign of high adventure. Join the McElroys as they find their fortune and slay an unconscionable number of… you know, kobolds or whatever in… The Adventure Zone.
Listen here.
Karina Longworth, (founder of Cinematical.com and former film critic for LA Weekly), is the host of You Must Remember, a storytelling podcast exploring the secret and/or forgotten histories of Hollywood’s first century. It is a heavily-researched work of creative nonfiction: navigating through conflicting reports, mythology, and institutionalized spin, Karina tries to sort out what really happened behind the films, stars and scandals of the 20th century.
Listen here.
Story Pirates is a podcast for the whole family. A group of friends put on an absurdist sketch comedy show based on stories written by kids. The Story Pirates aren’t your typical swashbuckling sailors. We don’t steal gold, pillage villages, or claim land; We’re searching for a different kind of treasure: kids’ wildest, most imaginative stories.
Listen here. 
The Therapy for Black Girls Podcast is a weekly conversation with Dr. Joy Harden Bradford, a Licensed Psychologist in Atlanta, Georgia, about all things mental health, personal development, and all the small decisions we can make to become the best possible version of ourselves.
Listen here.
Join researcher and #1 New York Times best-selling author Brené Brown as she unpacks and explores the ideas, stories, experiences, books, films, and music that reflect the universal experiences of being human, from the bravest moments to the most brokenhearted.
Listen here.
Music
Some things never change! Anna, Elsa, Kristoff, Olaf and Sven leave Arendelle to travel to an ancient, autumn-bound forest of an enchanted land. They set out to find the origin of Elsa’s powers in order to save their kingdom. Starring returning voice talents of Idina Menzel, Kristen Bell, Josh Gad, Jonathon Groff and featuring Evan Rachel Wood and Sterling K. Brown.
Listen on Hoopla here.
Cuz I Love You is the third studio album and debut major label LP by American rapper and singer Lizzo. The album features guest appearances from American rappers Missy Elliott and Gucci Mane.
Listen here.
Mandy Moore is back with her seventh album after an 11 year absence on the music scene.
Listen here.
If you need a recommendation for a book, audiobook, or something else, just let us know! Fill out the form here.
Questions? Email the Library at askus@fppl.org.