Spring is officially here! It may not be quite as warm as we would like, but better weather is on the way. And in the meantime, we’ve got another round of staff picks for you to enjoy!
Project Hail Mary
Based on the bestselling novel by Andy Weir, whose first book became the hit film The Martian, this sci-fi epic unites the creative talents of screenwriter Drew Goddard (Cloverfield, The Cabin in the Woods, and The Martian) and directors Phil Lord & Christopher Miller (the duo behind The LEGO Movie and 21 Jump Street). Anchored by Ryan Gosling in the lead role, it looks to be spectacular entertainment of the highest order, combining sequences of breathtaking action and mind-blowing visuals. My full review will be out in the next few days, but this might be the first 2026 release that I am truly excited to see on a giant screen. – Sean Farrell
Rebel Rising by Rebel Wilson
You may know the Australian comedic actress Rebel Wilson from the Pitch Perfect movies or Bridesmaids. Her memoir Rebel Rising covers her personal life, from her childhood moving around Australia, to her young adulthood as a youth ambassador in Africa, a law student, and starting out acting, to her adulthood when she moved to California with one bag and a deadline. She’s upfront about traumas and sadnesses, including plenty of consideration of her weight and its affects on her personal and professional life. You get some behind the scenes of various projects she’s worked on, both the good and the bad. Rebel’s humor throughout the book, and her delivery of it as she read the audiobook, kept me wanting to return to it every day. Recommended for people who enjoy her work as well as those who enjoy humorous reflections. – Mary Ecklund
ARIRANG by BTS
For their first album since finishing their mandatory military service, Korean pop superstars BTS return with an album that could best be described as “all killer, no filler.” Working with a host of megaproducers the septet haven’t lost a step and continue to churn out the sort of funky, techno-influenced bangers that American pop acts inexplicably lost interest in. Based on their global success, including in the States, audiences have not, and fans will not be disappointed by ARIRANG. – SF
The Dick Van Dyke Books
I’ve just read beloved actor Dick Van Dyke’s three recent(ish) books – Keep Moving, My Lucky Life In & Out of Show Business, and 100 Rules for Living to 100. All three share Van Dyke’s wonderful, thoughtful rememberances. You hear about his childhood in Illinois, his struggles and rise in the acting world (which started before television existed), and his personal joys and heartbreaks. He shares his philosophies and his foibles – he’s upfront about not being a perfect person.
Keep Moving is a straightforward (and enjoyable) personal memoir, not going into too much detail about his work projects. My Lucky Life… focuses on his acting work. 100 Rules… provides insight into how he’s gotten to be 100 years old, with each ‘rule’ being a lesson learned from the life experiences he shares. All three titles flow through you like your favorite relative is relating tales of “back in the day,” and his relation of experiences over such a long time has helped me understand the proportion of various issues in life. My only gripe is that he (understandably!) doesn’t read the 100 Rules… audiobook himself – he does a wonderful job reading the others. I highly recommend all three as chill but thoughtful reads! – ME
Keep Moving
My Lucky Life In & Out of Show Business
100 Rules for Living to 100
Parseword
The creator of Wordle is back with another daily word puzzler, though this is considerably more challenging than that one. Parseword uses the somewhat obtuse and disorienting cluing typical of the cryptic crosswords beloved by UK cruciverablists, which are less about knowing trivia and definitions and more about interpreting the structure of the clues. Fortunately, extensive tutorials make it easy to get up and running, though even understanding the rules doesn’t make the puzzles any easier. I am still lightyears away from mastering it, but that doesn’t stop me from returning [each and all time]. – SF
Neither the Avalon Free Public Library nor its staff receive any compensation for inclusion on this list or for links to external websites.
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