Kaycee

Meet Kaycee!

"I help organize the children's section. I keep up to date with the newest books so that I can best help customers, and because I really enjoy children's literature. I like when I hook a kid into a new series because I get to see them come back and tell me how much they enjoyed it. I like to think I am personally responsible for the Redwall revival here in town. I read Young Adult titles for the Reading the West Award short list in 2021. I also nominate titles for Indie Next, and write reviews for Libro.fm! 

I love to cook and bake things from scratch, especially breads. I also love to swim and try to go twice a week at minimum. I play a lot of board games with friends. I am a HUGE fan of punk music. My friends and I were constantly going to local shows around Montana. I grew up with it, and I still blast it everywhere I go. Especially Queerpunk, that's my bread and butter." 

Check out Kaycee's "Not Quite Horror" recommendations here!

If you need a children's book recommendation, or a horror book recommendation, or a scary children's book recommendation, Kaycee is the Bookseller for you. Find some of her favorites this year in the list below.

Celebrate Latinx Hertiage Month starting on September 15th with some incredible children stories from these #ownvoices authors. September 15th is the anniversary of independence of several Latin American countries who declared independence in 1821. "This celebration has become a vital opportunity to dispel ignorance, prejudice and fear through education about multiculturalism and the history of the countless contributions of Latinx communitites"-Milagros Chirinos, Human Rights Campaign. These are some of our staff's favorite picks, but please feel free ask us about more books and titles that we can provide to futher celebrate the many Latinx communities from around the world.

In El Cucuy Is Scared, Too! by Donna Barba Higuera, Ramón is too nervous for his first day of school to go to bed. His monster, El Cucuy (el ku-koo-ee), who lives in the cactus pot, can’t get to sleep either. Together, they work through their anxieties about living in a new home in a healthy, affirming way. It’s great to see a book where their feelings are validated and respected, but also they work toward overcoming their fears of new beginnings. Great for kids who recently moved to a new home or are starting their first day of school!

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré is the beautiful story of the first Puerto Rican librarian in New York City. Belpré was the first mainstream author to have Lainx story books published in the United States. She was also a librarian, puppeteer, and advocate for social change. Learn about the incredible life story of the woman who changed the world by planting literary seeds across American libraries. 2021 is the 25th anniversary of the Pura Belpré Literary Award and I would highly recommend the 2021 winners and nominees, such as Efrén Divided by Ernesto Cisnernos, Lupe Wong Won’t Dance by Donna Barba Higuera, and ¡Vamos! Let’s Go Eat by Raúl Gonzalez for your bookshelf.

“If Dominican were a color, it would be the sunset in the sky, blazing red and burning bright. If Dominican were a color, it’d be the roar of the ocean in the deep of the night, With the moon beaming down rays of sheer delight.” If Dominican Were a Color by Sili Recio is a beautiful poem about the different colors of the Dominican Republic. The pages paint a story of self-love and acceptance that celebrates the author's hertiage. The author's note gives personal insight to the racism and colorism Recio faced as a child and gives comfort to those who have felt the same. 

Conquer the great unknowns from outer space to the deep sea below with our Storytime for Future Scientists picks. Our bookseller Kaycee picked stories that inspire and encourage creativity, exploration and growth in young readers.

The Octopus Escapes by Malie Meloy is a powerful, beautiful story of an octopus trying to find his way back home. Captured in the wild and brought into captivity, the octopus tires of boring food and easy puzzles, and desperately makes his escape to get back to his ocean cave. This book teaches compassion and empathy, while also encouraging growth and passion for underwater environments. 

The Tree in Me by Corinna Lukyen is the greatly anticipated follow up to My Heart. Every human is like a tree, we require nurturing, resilience, and connections to others. This powerful picture book in verse is a great gift for all ages and will captivate you with its beautiful illustrations. “The tree in me is strong. It bends in the wind, and has roots that go deep…to where other roots reach up toward their own trunk-branch-crown and sky.”

Did you know the Saguaro Cactus only blooms one night a year? In Night Flower by Lara Hawthorne, animals of all shapes and sizes have come to see the beautiful white petals of the rare desert flower. I had fun looking for all the different, uniquely illustrated animals on each page. This book has an informative and beautiful rhythmic verse that tells the story of the animals coming to visit.