Stressed? Rx: Daily Dose of Light Reading

As you might expect, I look to my library for a good book to fulfill whatever reading need I may have at the time. And my library always comes through! It has been quite helpful in my recent searches for light reads. I use various methods to find my stress-relief or mood-lifting books. Let me share a few tips with you.

NoveList Plus is a great place to start. It’s a Mercer County Library System (MCLS) database that offers you a host of ways to choose your next read. For example, you can do a search using keywords describing the time period and setting of the book you’d like to read. Alternatively, you can search a list, such as: Author Read-alikes, Book Club Resources, or Best of 2021. You’re sure to find just what you’re looking for through NoveList.

Fantasy is the ideal genre to provide a bit of escapism. I am now rereading the Harry Potter series. Wizard’s chess and talking ghosts transport me from the real world to an enchanted castle … that is, until my smartphone rings. The first time I read the series—way back at the turn of the century!—I read the books in hardcover format. This time around, I have more ear time than eye time, so I’m listening to the audiobooks on the hoopla app through MCLS. Another MCLS resource that offers digital content is eLibraryNJ; on your mobile device, look for the Libby app. Both hoopla and eLibraryNJ (Libby) offer ebooks and audiobooks. hoopla also offers comics, and both also offer magazines; both comics and magazines are sure to provide light reading that will appeal to you.

You may decide that you’d like to read a book similar to a book you’ve read and liked. We have a strategy for that: it’s a feature called, “You May Also Like.” Go to the MCLS online catalog and enter the title of a favorite book. In the results, under the book description, select “You May Also Like.” In the case of Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone, one suggestion is The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe, the first book in the series titled The Chronicles of Narnia, by C. S. Lewis.

A librarian friend and I were discussing the many benefits of reading lighthearted books, and she recommended The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, by Alexander McCall Smith. This series was so kind-hearted and enjoyable that I flew through it and into the author’s 44 Scotland Street series. You, too, can get recommendations from a librarian: call your local branch, or request advice through Mercer County Library System’s Personalized Picks. A librarian will email you with recommended titles based on your preferred authors, genres, and books.

This librarian is especially fond of biographies. Many biographies, autobiographies, and memoirs offer an easygoing journey alongside a celebrity, comedian, or other known personality. For a cheerful read, try Naturally Tan, by Tan France; Still Foolin' 'Em: Where I've Been, Where I'm Going, and Where the Hell Are My Keys?, by Billy Crystal; or This Is a Book by Demetri Martin, by Demetri Martin. Some memoirs are laugh-out-loud funny, such as The Last Black Unicorn, by Tiffany Haddish; Is Everyone Hanging Out Without Me?, by Mindy Kaling; Food: A Love Story, by Jim Gaffigan; or Yes, Please, by Amy Poehler. Or do a basic search in the MCLS catalog for your favorite celebrity.

Maybe you’d prefer not to wait until you’re (gasp!) bookless. You may want to compile a Want to Read list in a leisurely manner. If this sounds appealing to you, sign up for our NextReads Newsletter. You get to choose from categories such as Armchair Travel, Fantasy and Science Fiction, Graphic Novels, and New York Times Bestsellers.

What if you’re searching for a book and can’t find it in the MCLS catalog? Well, we’re glad to help. We will do our best to get the book for you, either with an Interlibrary Loan Request (in which we borrow the book from another library system), or with a Suggest for Purchase form (where the library will consider buying the book to add to the MCLS collection).

Enjoy your search for a relaxing read!

- by Mary A., Hickory Corner Branch