Happy Friday! As August kicks off we’re back with another roundup of the things our staff are excited about this week! So scroll down to see the books, movies, and shows the gang at the Avalon Free Public Library can’t get enough of!

THE POPPY FIELDS BY NIKKI ERLICK

“Poppies are a ruderal species, which means that they grow from the rubble.  If something so spectacular can still blossom even in the most disturbed earth, then doesn’t that mean there’s hope for even the most battered hearts to heal?”

The Poppy Fields is a thought-provoking novel that explores the concept of grief, and poses questions like: how do we heal ourselves after suffering a loss, and what lengths are we willing to go to ensure that we are healed? It has well-developed characters whose lives and paths intertwine beautifully. Although grief is at the center of this novel, it’s not the only focus; it is also a novel about friendship, love, and hope, proving how resilient people can be. – Becky McDevitt

THE NAKED GUN

It’s been 37 years since The Naked Gun first shot into theaters and 31 years since it last appeared. Since then, we lost the legendary Leslie Nielsen, but now Liam Neeson has been taken by the lure of comedy and is stepping in as Frank Drebin Jr., son of Nielsen’s original character. The original writing team of Jerry Zucker, Jim Abrahams, David Zucker, and Pat Proft are also absent, being replaced by Dan Gregor (the surprisingly good Chip ‘n Dale: Rescue Rangers, How I Met Your Mother), Doug Mand (the same), and Akiva Schaffer (Saturday Night Live, Popstar: Never Stop Never Stopping), with the latter also handling directing duties. There’s always a chance that this is an unmitigated disaster, but the prior work of this trio suggests they are well-suited to the task or rebooting this classic comedy franchise. And it’s been so long since we’ve had a genuinely funny movie at the multiplex, I am more than a little excited to give it a shot. – Sean Farrell

BANANA BALL

What if someone took baseball and made it not boring? The answer is Banana Ball. There are only 4 teams (plus a quasi-5th) in this thrillingly bizarre twist on one of America’s most popular sports, but they are so entertaining to watch it doesn’t matter. With rule changes made to speed up the game, an emphasis on trick plays, and frequent choreographed dance breaks, the action never lets up, which will probably limit the interest they receive from traditional TV channels (where would they put the ads?). Fortunately, the games stream live on YouTube and are worth checking out whether or not you’ve ever been interested in baseball before. – SF

 

THE PENGUIN LESSONS

It’s a feel-good movie without being sugary & sentimental (I don’t do that stuff), starring Steve Coogan, Jonathan Pryce & a Penguin, based on a true story and book of the same name. Probably not ideal for children but it truly is lovely. – Bonita Risley

THE SUMMER WE RAN BY AUDREY INGRAM

A cute read about two people who had a summer romance as teenagers and are now running against each other for Govenor of Virginia. It is not fully in the romance category, but there is a love story element to it, and it was definitely a quick, fun read! – BM

Cover image created with Midjourney prompt: someone being amazed by a beautiful field of poppies.