Something new and different can captivate readers of all ages

Are you ready to try something new? Well, look no further than this

list of books that offer up enjoyable reads in refreshing new styles.

Instead of page after page of text, try a novel in letters, or verse,

or better yet a novel that looks like a comic book. Authors are

getting creative with not only their stories but with the format of

their books. Newport Beach Public Library has a variety of titles to

discover for every age.

“The Music of Dolphins” is a novel for middle school pupils that

tells the story of Mila, a feral child who has been rescued after

being raised by a pod of dolphins. The author Hesse illustrates

Mila’s rehabilitation to the human world with the size of the print

throughout the novel. As Mila is introduced to a new and foreign

world, the prose is short and stilted and the type size is large. As

Mila comes to terms with her new world and is forced to make a

decision between the human and dolphin worlds the type size and style

illustrates her inner shifts.

Another great book for 8- to 12-year-olds is “Love That Dog” by

Sharon Creech. This funny, original tale is told entirely in free

verse. The tale revolves around Jack, a young boy who discovers

poetry -- against his will. As the story opens on the first page of

Jack’s journal the reader finds Jack complaining about writing verse,

because boys don’t do that. From Jack’s entries, the readers tag

along on this delightful journey where Jack learns poetry isn’t just

for girls, that he has something to say and where inspiration lives.

For the reader really looking for a change, Barbara Kesel’s

beautifully illustrated graphic novel “Meridian: Flying Solo” is an

excellent choice. This is the story of Sephie, who has grown up on

the idyllic floating city of Meridian. With the sudden death of her

father, the Minister of Meridian, Sephie finds herself in a power

struggle with her uncle over the well being of her people and her

home. With outstanding artwork and the intriguing tale of Sephie, the

first installment in this series is definitely worth a read.

“Monster” by Walter Dean Myers tells the disturbing story of Steve

Harmon, a 16-year-old boy accused of being an accomplice to a robbery

and murder of a local merchant. Myers uses an innovative format to

tell the story of an inner-city kid who is as confused as he is

scared. Steve is an aspiring filmmaker and to calm his nerves during

his trial he tells his story in the combination of screenplay and

journal entries. This book will find an audience with mature teen

readers who want to delve into the issues of guilt, prison life and

complexities of being an inner-city teen.

For a much lighter read, teens and adults alike can enjoy the

discovered journal of J in “Seventeen Ways to Eat a Mango” by Joshua

Kadison. Appearing almost like a picture book, the pages are

illustrated as if the hand-lettered journal had been found written on

weathered brown paper. This rich and lyrical tale is the story of the

young botanist J who is sent to a tropical isle to open a mango

cannery. A chance encounter with a local elder sends his plans awry.

Instead, J learns 17 ways to eat a mango and the meaning of life.

Another beautiful set of books that turns reading into a tactile

experience is author and illustrator Nick Bantock’s “Griffin & Sabine

trilogies.” Griffin & Sabine: an extraordinary correspondence is the

magical first volume that invites the reader along to examine the

handmade postcards and open beautiful envelopes that unfold the

otherworldly story of lonely Londoner Griffin and exotic Sabine. The

reader is drawn into this haunting tale of love and mystery that is

finally concluded in Bantock’s final volume in the second trilogy The

Morning Star: in which the extraordinary correspondence of Griffin &

Sabine is illuminated.

If you are looking for more than just a new author to read, these

titles offer a feast for the mind and the eyes.

* CHECK IT OUT is written by the staff of the Newport Beach Public

Library. This week’s column is by Terri Wiest. All titles may be

reserved from home or office computers by accessing the catalog at

https://www.newportbeach library.org. For more information on these

titles or other selections, call the Newport Beach Public Library at

(949) 717-3800 and select option 2.