Best of 2024: Staff Picks

Staff members at Canton Public Library have found a lot of library materials to like this year. Is it any surprise when we work in such a stimulating environment surrounded by books, movies, and digital resources galore? Our library staff read, watch, play, and listen widely, so you’ll find books and movies, graphic novels and audiobooks, video games, and outstanding choices of all kinds on these lists.

For all of our 2024 recommendations, you can browse these lists for different ages or formats: 

Staff Picks for Young Readers

Staff Picks for Middle Grade Readers

Staff Picks for Teens

Staff Picks for Adults

Staff Film, Music, and Gaming Picks

Staff E-media Picks


If you find yourself wondering what got the most buzz around the library this year, these popular items were recommended by more than one staff member. 

Buzzkill by Brenna Maloney. A humorous and engaging nonfiction book about bugs that works to connect readers to the content. There’s cool facts, how insects help grow the food we eat, how they are the food we eat, insects in music and dance, insects inspiring robots and engineers, and even insects in medicine. 

Dune: Part Two on DVD. The mythic journey of Paul Atreides as he unites with Chani and the Fremen while on a warpath of revenge against the conspirators who destroyed his family. Facing a choice between the love of his life and the fate of the known universe, he endeavors to prevent a terrible future only he can foresee. 

Late Night with the Devil on DVD. Desperate to turn his fortunes around, on October 31, 1977, talk show host Jack Delroy plans a Halloween special like no other. Unfortunately, he is unaware he is about to unleash evil into the living rooms of America. 

Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Yang and LeUyen Pham. Val is ready to give up on love. It's led to nothing but secrets and heartbreak, and she's pretty sure she's cursed: no one in her family, for generations, has ever had any luck with love. But a chance encounter with a pair of cute lion dancers sparks something in Val. 

The Swifts: A Gallery of Rogues by Beth Lincoln. Shenanigan Swift is off to Paris with her sister and their uncle Maelstrom to solve the mystery of a strange series of elaborately staged art museum heists in this hilarious, quick-witted story that celebrates words, family and lots of shenanigans.

To use our lists for future reference, you can create your own to-read (or to-watch) list using our library website. If you are logged in to your Canton Public Library account (see the blue Log In / My CPL button in the top corner of your screen), you can add books to your For Later shelf to keep track of what you want to read, or you can easily put items on hold.

In addition to our own staff picks, we also asked the Canton community for their favorite books and media of 2024. Wrap up the year with one of these top picks recommended by your Canton neighbors.

It’s been a great year. We are all looking forward to encountering new books, movies, music, video games, and more in 2025!