Summer Reading with the Science Center

We asked the staff at Carnegie Science Center, our Summer Reading partner, for their recommendations for great summer reads. Check them out—literally! 


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The Alice Network

In this enthralling novel from New York Times bestselling author Kate Quinn, two women–a female spy recruited to the real-life Alice Network in France during World War I and an unconventional American socialite searching for her cousin in 1947–are brought together in a mesmerizing story of courage and redemption. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby, eBook on Hoopla, in eAudio on Libby, in eAudio on Hoopla.



Astrophysics for People in a Hurry

Few of us have time to contemplate the cosmos. So Tyson brings the universe down to Earth succinctly and clearly, with sparkling wit, in tasty chapters consumable anytime and anywhere in your busy day. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and eAudio on Libby. 



Evicted : Poverty and Profit in the American City

Evicted transforms our understanding of poverty and economic exploitation while providing fresh ideas for solving one of twenty-first-century America’s most devastating problems. Its unforgettable scenes of hope and loss remind us of the centrality of home, without which nothing else is possible. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby. 



Great Circle

After being rescued as infants from a sinking ocean liner in 1914, Marian and Jamie Graves are raised by their dissolute uncle in Missoula, Montana. There–after encountering a pair of barnstorming pilots passing through town in beat-up biplanes–Marian commences her lifelong love affair with flight. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby. 



The Kite Runner

The unforgettable, heartbreaking story of the unlikely friendship between a wealthy boy and the son of his father’s servant, caught in the tragic sweep of history, The Kite Runner transports readers to Afghanistan at a tense and crucial moment of change and destruction. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby. 



Lessons in Chemistry

Former chemist turned cooking show host Elizabeth Zott demolishes expectations in the 1960s adventure of challenging the status quo. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby.



Norwegian Wood

Toru, a serious young college student in Tokyo, is devoted to Naoko, a beautiful and introspective young woman, but their mutual passion is marked by the tragic death of their best friend years before. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby 


Silent Spring

First published by Houghton Mifflin in 1962, Silent Spring alerted a large audience to the environmental and human dangers of indiscriminate use of pesticides, spurring revolutionary changes in the laws affecting our air, land, and water. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby, eBook on Hoopla, and in eAudio on Hoopla 


The Soul of an Octopus

Sy Montgomery explores the emotional and physical world of the octopus–a surprisingly complex, intelligent, and spirited creature–and the remarkable connections it makes with humans. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Hoopla 


Spineless: The Science of Jellyfish and the Art of Growing a Backbone

Gracefully blending personal memoir with crystal-clear distillations of science, Spineless is the story of how Juli learned to navigate and ultimately embrace her ambition, her curiosity, and her passion for the natural world. She discovers that jellyfish science is more than just a quest for answers. It’s a call to realize our collective responsibility for the planet we share. 

This title is also available for checkout in eAudio on Libby. 

 


The Sting of the Wild

Entomologist Justin O. Schmidt is on a mission. Some say it’s a brave exploration, others shake their heads in disbelief. His goal? To compare the impacts of stinging insects on humans, mainly using himself as the test case. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Hoopla. 

 



Vegetables: a Biography

In capsule biographies of eleven different vegetables–artichokes, beans, chard, cabbage, cardoons, carrots, chili peppers, Jerusalem artichokes, peas, pumpkins, and tomatoes–Evelyne Bloch-Dano explores the world of vegetables in all its facets, from science and agriculture to history, culture, and, of course, cooking. 


What If? 2

Before you go on a cosmic road trip, feed the residents of New York City to a T. rex, or fill every church with bananas, be sure to consult this practical guide for impractical ideas 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby, and in eAudio on Libby. 


When You Wonder You’re Learning

With lessons from Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood and examples from the acclaimed education network Remake Learning, this book brings Mister Rogers into the digital age, helping parents and teachers raise creative, curious, caring kids. 

This title is also available for checkout as an eBook on Libby and in eAudio on Libby.