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Widowed mum Mya is disturbed by an image of her late husband captured on her toddler’s nanny cam.

Jan 1st/ Netflix/ Put on hold

Delicious in Dungeon by Ryoko Kui

Can sisters be reincarnated from dragon poop? Laios and his friends Marcille and Chilchuck delve into an endless dungeon in search of his fallen sister, fighting monsters, starvation, and corruption.

Jan 3rd/ Netflix/ Put on hold

A Sign of Affection by Suu Morishita

Yuki Itose, a hearing-impaired university student, meets Itsuomi Nagi. Unlike most, he knows her impairment which makes him fascinates. A new world begins to open for them as they learn about each other’s different lives.

Jan 6th/ Crunchyroll / Put on hold

Alexander and the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day by Judith Viorst 

Follows a Mexican American family who have recently lost their connection to each other and their roots, as they embark on an epic road trip that immediately goes hilariously wrong.

Jan 10th/ Disney+/ Put on hold

Boy Swallows Universe by Trent Dalton

In 1980s Brisbane, a precocious boy and his selectively mute brother embark on a suburban odyssey of love, redemption and retribution after their family is torn apart by a drug lord.

Jan 11th/ Netflix/ Put on hold

The Maltese falcon / Dashiell Hammett

(Monsieur Spade)

The famous detective Sam Spade is now 60 and living as an expat in the south of France in 1963.

Jan 14th/ AMC/ Put on hold

Which Brings Me to You by Steve Almond & Julianna Baggott

Two romantic burnouts meet at a wedding and almost hook up in the coatroom before putting the brakes on. They agree to exchange candid confessions about their pasts on the off chance that this might be the real thing.

Jan 19th/ Theatres

Masters of the Air : America’s Bomber Boys Who Fought the Air War against Nazi Germany by Donald L. Miller

Five miles above the ground and behind enemy lines, eleven men inside a bomber known as a “Flying Fortress” battle unrelenting flocks of German fighters.

Jan 26th/ Apple TV/ Put on hold

The Expatriates by Janice Y.K. Lee

A look at the personal and professional lives of a tight-knit group of expatriates living in Hong Kong.

Jan 26th/ Amazon/ Put on hold 

Capote’s Women: A True Story of Love, Betrayal, and a Swan Song for an Era by Laurence Leamer

(Feud: Capote vs. The Swans)

An anthology series centering on famous feuds, including Bette Davis and Joan Crawford, and Truman Capote and the New York elite.

Wilfried Wils must survive as an auxiliary policeman during the Nazi occupation of Antwerp.

Jan 31st/ Netflix

The beginning of a new year also means that lots of books, movies, and music enter the public domain. What is the public domain? The public domain are works where the copyright has expired so they are now free to the public to use. In 2024, this includes books and movies first published in 1928. When a work enters into the public domain, the public is free to use the works. This could be by publishing their own edition, reimagining the characters, creating art and more. Of course, there are still some things you need to make sure of before using these works and characters. Always do extra research beforehand on what you can or can’t do with the work.

Here’s a list of books and movies now in the public domain (and you can check them out from the library)

 Steamboat Willie and Plane Crazy 

The earliest movie featuring Mickey Mouse is entering the public domain! Steamboat Willie is where we first see the famous mouse and is also the first appearance of Minnie Mouse. The two are also featured in Plane Crazy. While the characters are still silent in these films, the copyright expiring means that this famous mouse couple can be used by anyone. Although, specifically their black and white versions from these films can be used.

Put the library item on hold

 The House at Pooh Corner

While the first Winnie the Pooh book entered the public domain in 2022 (which is how Blood and Honey, a Winnie the Pooh horror movie was able to be made), the second book is entering the public domain this year. The most notable fact about this is that Tigger first appeared in this book, which means Tigger will be entering the public domain. Again, this is specifically the Tigger featured in this book as Disney still holds the copyright for their version.

Put the library item on hold

 Millions of Cats

First published in 1928 and winning the Newberry Honor in 1929, this picture book is one of the oldest picture books still in print. The tagline goes: “How can an old man and his wife select one cat from a choice of millions and trillions?”

Put the library item on hold

The Mystery of the Blue Train

Hercule Poirot has been in the public domain for a few years now, but now his sixth mystery is in the public domain. But only in the U.S. In the U.K. the detective is still under copyright and will be under copyright until 2046.

Put the library item on hold

The Trumpeter of Krakow

The winner of the Newberry Medal in 1929 is also entering the public domain. A summary of the book: “A Polish family in the Middle Ages guards a great secret treasure and a boy’s memory of an earlier trumpeter of Krakow makes it possible for him to save his father.”

 Put the library item on hold

The Missing Chums, Hunting for Hidden Gold, and The Shore Road Mystery

Books 4, 5, and 6 in the Hardy Boys series are entering into the public domain this year.

 Book 4

Book 5

Book 6

Lady Chatterley’s Lover

Published in 1928 and the last novel written by the author. The book was well-known and sold millions of copies but was also famous for being controversial as it was once banned in United States, Canada, Australia, India and Japan.

Put the library item on hold