Inspired by InkTober, we created a list of 31 prompts and assembled Drawing Challenge Kits for October. Each kit comes with several items you can personalize: a mini journal, two large stickers, and a postcard. Also included is a double ended marker to help bring your drawings to life. These kits will be available, while supplies last, at Waldorf West beginning Friday, October 1st.

We are posting the list of daily prompts here. This list is just a starting point. Feel free to use your own imagination. The goal is to draw everyday: 31 prompts for each day in October. You’ve got this!!

Don’t forget to join us for our Drawing Club on Tuesday, October 12th. Show us your progress or come and be inspired. We meet on the 2nd Tuesday of every month. All teens are welcome to participate. You can share what you know or learn something new from other teens.

Looking for books? Check out the wide range of drawing books we have at the library, many of which are available as ebooks, too!

Videos:

• Video for iPhone/iPad
• Video for Android

Download and Print Instructions:

• PDF iPhone/Pad
• PDF Android 

If you require additional help, please contact your local branch for more assistance.

Drawing Club is the 2nd Tuesday of every month and I hope you will join us! All teens are welcome to participate. You can share what you know about drawing or learn something new from your fellow artists. 

Recently we tested out a new web based software: Aggie. The site describes itself as a “collaborative painting application.” I hope you will like it just as much as we do and see what you can make with it. I find it works best if you create a free account. I can make myself the admin, set user settings and invite users to participate. The site works in layers preventing any mishaps with multiple users. Also, with my free account I can save our collaborations for later. 

For this event, we started off by tagging a blank screen just to say hi and welcome. Then we took a minute to take a deep breath, calm our minds, and think about what we wanted to get out of today’s Drawing Club. 

Next, we worked through a few prompts together I found online. This prompt asks you to draw squiggles and then turn them into birds. The results are so much fun. I hope to display these in our teen space soon!

For our final collaborative piece, one of our participants suggested we do a mashup drawing where everyone creates a different part of a figure. It took a minute to make sure everyone was drawing in the same direction, but the teens had it all figured out by using text to figure out who was writing upside down.

After our final prompt, we took a minute to check-in again to see how we felt before and after our time together. 

Thank you for checking out our collaborative art pieces. I can’t wait to see what else we can do with this platform and others just like it! For more information on settings and using this site, visit here. 

Looking for books? Check out the wide range of drawing books we have at the library, many of which are available as ebooks too!

It might be cold and dreary outside, and we might be spending more time inside and on our couches than we normally would, but that shouldn’t get you down. This time of year, it’s easy to miss the warm sunniness of a beach day. There’s just something amazing about having our feet in the sand while we delve into a fantastic new book while the waves crash in the background. So, if you’re longing for the sun and sand of summertime, why not fake a beach day at home?  

How to Fake a Beach Day While Stuck Inside

Step 1: Location, Location, Location.

Find the sunniest spot in your bedroom/house/apartment to set up shop.  I like to find one that has afternoon sun streaming in, but you can have a beach day any time of day!

Step 2: Set the scene! 

Grab that awesome beach towel that immediately gives you beach vibes, pull up a photo on your laptop/tablet/tv, and hunt down a beach-themed playlist on your favorite streaming app. Might I suggest Freegal? (“What’s Freegal?”, you ask. Check out this blog post to learn more!) 

Got it pulled up? Great, press PLAY.

Step 3: Get your supplies! 

Want to wear your favorite sunnies indoors? Go for it! Want to wear sunscreen for the aesthetic? Slather it on. Don’t forget the summery drink with a fun straw and a cute little umbrella. 

Check, check, check… you should be all set!

Step 4: The MOST crucial step.

Ok, this might be the most crucial step. Definitely do not skip this step or this beach endeavor will fall apart like a sandcastle when the tide comes in. Grab your beach read! May we offer you some amazing recommendations?

(All summaries are from the publishers)

Need a library card? Please visit Get a Library Card to sign up for one today!

Beachy Reads for When You’re Stuck Inside:

The Rest of the Story by Sarah Dessen

Emma Saylor doesn’t remember a lot about her mother, who died when Emma was twelve. But she does remember the stories her mom told her about the big lake that went on forever, with cold, clear water and mossy trees at the edges.

Now it’s just Emma and her dad, and life is good, if a little predictable…until Emma is unexpectedly sent to spend the summer with her mother’s family that she hasn’t seen since she was a little girl.

When Emma arrives at North Lake, she realizes there are actually two very different communities there. Her mother grew up in working class North Lake, while her dad spent summers in the wealthier Lake North resort. The more time Emma spends there, the more it starts to feel like she is also divided into two people. To her father, she is Emma. But to her new family, she is Saylor, the name her mother always called her.

Then there’s Roo, the boy who was her very best friend when she was little. Roo holds the key to her family’s history, and slowly, he helps her put the pieces together about her past. It’s hard not to get caught up in the magic of North Lake—and Saylor finds herself falling under Roo’s spell as well.

For Saylor, it’s like a whole new world is opening up to her. But when it’s time to go back home, which side of her—Emma or Saylor—will win out?

Ebook Available on Overdrive
Audiobook Available on Hoopla 

The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue by Mackenzi Lee

A young bisexual British lord embarks on an unforgettable Grand Tour of Europe with his best friend/secret crush. An 18th-century romantic adventure for the modern age written by This Monstrous Thing author Mackenzi Lee—Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda meets the 1700s.

Henry “Monty” Montague doesn’t care that his roguish passions are far from suitable for the gentleman he was born to be. But as Monty embarks on his grand tour of Europe, his quests for pleasure and vice are in danger of coming to an end. Not only does his father expect him to take over the family’s estate upon his return, but Monty is also nursing an impossible crush on his best friend and traveling companion, Percy.

So Monty vows to make this year long escapade one last hedonistic hurrah and flirt with Percy from Paris to Rome. But when one of Monty’s reckless decisions turns their trip abroad into a harrowing manhunt, it calls into question everything he knows, including his relationship with the boy he adores.

Witty, dazzling, and intriguing at every turn, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue is an irresistible romp that explores the undeniably fine lines between friendship and love.

Don’t miss Felicity’s adventures in The Lady’s Guide to Petticoats and Piracy, the highly anticipated sequel! 

Ebook Available on Overdrive
Audiobook Available on Overdrive
Ebook Available on Hoopla
Audiobook Available on Hoopla 

The Whole Thing Together by Ann Brashares

Summer for Sasha and Ray means the sprawling old house on Long Island. Since they were children, they’ve shared almost everything—reading the same books, running down the same sandy footpaths to the beach, eating peaches from the same market, laughing around the same sun-soaked dining table. Even sleeping in the same bed, on the very same worn cotton sheets. But they’ve never met.

Sasha’s dad was once married to Ray’s mom, and together they had three daughters: Emma, the perfectionist; Mattie, the beauty; and Quinn, the favorite. But the marriage crumbled and the bitterness lingered. Now there are two new families—and neither one will give up the beach house that holds the memories, happy and sad, of summers past.

The choices we make come back to haunt us; the effect on our destinies ripples out of our control . . . or does it? This summer, the lives of Sasha, Ray, and their siblings intersect in ways none of them ever dreamed, in a novel about family relationships, keeping secrets, and most of all, love.

Ebook Available on Overdrive

Warcross by Marie Lu

For the millions who log in every day, Warcross isn’t just a game–it’s a way of life. Struggling to make ends meet, teenage hacker Emika Chen works as a bounty hunter, tracking down players who bet on the game illegally. Needing to make some quick cash, Emika takes a risk and hacks into the opening game of the international Warcross Championships–only to accidentally glitch herself into the action and become an overnight sensation.

Convinced she’s going to be arrested, Emika is shocked when instead she gets a call from the game’s creator, the elusive young billionaire Hideo Tanaka, with an irresistible offer. With no time to lose, Emika is whisked off to Tokyo and thrust into a world of fame and fortune that she’s only dreamed of. But soon her investigation uncovers a sinister plot, with major consequences for the entire Warcross empire.

Ebook Available on Overdrive
Audiobook Available on Overdrive

Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert

When Suzette comes home to Los Angeles from her boarding school in New England, she’s isn’t sure if she’ll ever want to go back. L.A. is where her friends and family are (as well as her crush, Emil). And her stepbrother, Lionel, who has been diagnosed with bipolar disorder, needs her emotional support.

But as she settles into her old life, Suzette finds herself falling for someone new…the same girl her brother is in love with. When Lionel’s disorder spirals out of control, Suzette is forced to confront her past mistakes and find a way to help her brother before he hurts himself–or worse.

Ebook Available on Overdrive 

Little Wrecks by Meredith Miller

Ruth, Magda, and Isabel are different from everyone else. They can see beneath the seemingly perfect, cookie-cutter exterior of their small town of Highbone, Long Island. They know that below the surface, each house is filled with secrets, indifference, and violence.

These girls refuse to become willing participants of these fake lives. Instead, they are determined to fight every condescending comment, every unwelcome touch, and every lie they’ve been told.

When the opportunity to commit the perfect crime appears, the girls finally start to see their way out of Highbone. But for the first time, Ruth, Magda, and Isabel are keeping secrets from each other. As they drift apart, the weight of reality starts to set in. These girls can’t save each other. They might not even be able to save themselves.

Ebook Available on Hoopla
Audiobook Available on Hoopla

The End of Our Story by Meg Hatson

BEFORE: Bridge and Wil have been entangled in each other’s lives for years. Under the white-hot Florida sun, they went from kids daring each other to swim past the breakers to teenagers stealing kisses between classes. But when Bridge betrayed Wil during their junior year, she shattered his heart and their relationship along with it.

AFTER: When Wil’s family suffers a violent loss, and Bridge rushes back to Wil’s side. As they struggle to heal old wounds and start falling for each other all over again, Bridge and Wil discover just how much has changed in the past year. Though they once knew each other’s every secret, they aren’t the same people they used to be. Bridge can’t imagine life without Wil, but sometimes love isn’t enough. Can they find their way back to each other, or will this be the end of their story?

Ebook Available on Hoopla
Audiobook Available on Hoopla

These Things I’ve Done by Rebecca Phillips

BEFORE: Dara and Aubrey have been inseparable since they became best friends in sixth grade. Dara is the fearless one, Aubrey the prodigy, yet despite their differences, they support each other unconditionally. However, as they begin their sophomore year of high school, cracks in their friendship begin to form, testing the bond they always thought was unbreakable.

AFTER: It’s been fifteen months since the accident that killed Aubrey, and not a day goes by that Dara isn’t racked with guilt over her role in her best friend’s death. Now, after spending a year away from home in order to escape the constant reminders of what happened, Dara is back at her old high school to start her senior year. Dara thought the worst thing about coming home would be confronting the memories of Aubrey that relentlessly haunt her, but she soon realizes it isn’t half as difficult as seeing Ethan, Aubrey’s brother, every day. Not just because he’s a walking reminder of what she did, but because the more her feelings for him change, the more she knows she’s betraying her best friend one final time.

Ebook Available on Hoopla 

Generation One by Pittacus Lore

It has been over a year since the invasion of Earth was thwarted in Pittacus Lore’s United as One. But in order to win, our alien allies known as the Garde unleashed their Loric energy that spread throughout the globe. Now human teenagers have begun to develop incredible powers of their own, known as Legacies.

To help these incredible and potentially dangerous individuals—and put the world at ease—the Garde have created an academy where they can train this new generation to control their powers and hopefully one day help mankind. But not everyone thinks that’s the best use of their talents. And the teens may need to use their Legacies sooner than they ever imagined.

Ebook Available on Overdrive
Ebook Available on Hoopla
Audiobook Available on Hoopla

Ash & Quill by Rachel Caine

Hoarding all the knowledge of the world, the Great Library jealously guards its secrets. But now a group of rebels poses a dangerous threat to its tyranny….

Jess Brightwell and his band of exiles have fled London, only to find themselves imprisoned in Philadelphia, a city led by those who would rather burn books than submit. But Jess and his friends have a bargaining chip: the knowledge to build a machine that will break the Library’s rule.

Their time is running out. To survive, they’ll have to choose to live or die as one, to take the fight to their enemies–and to save the very soul of the Great Library….

Ebook Available on Overdrive
Audiobook Available on Hoopla 

Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson

Brooklyn, 1998. Biggie Smalls was right: Things done changed. But that doesn’t mean that Quadir and Jarrell are cool letting their best friend Steph’s music lie forgotten under his bed after he’s murdered—not when his rhymes could turn any Bed Stuy corner into a party.

With the help of Steph’s younger sister Jasmine, they come up with a plan to promote Steph’s music under a new rap name: the Architect. Soon, everyone wants a piece of him. When his demo catches the attention of a hotheaded music label rep, the trio must prove Steph’s talent from beyond the grave.

As the pressure of keeping their secret grows, Quadir, Jarrell, and Jasmine are forced to confront the truth about what happened to Steph. Only, each has something to hide. And with everything riding on Steph’s fame, they need to decide what they stand for or lose all that they’ve worked so hard to hold on to—including each other.

Ebook Available on Hoopla
Audiobook Available on Hoopla 

I Know What You Did Last Summer by Lois Duncan

Four teens fight to outsmart a killer who intends to avenge a young boy’s death in this suspenseful thriller that inspired the classic horror film.

After a party, four teens are in a hit-and-run accident that results in a young boy’s death. Unable to deal with the consequences, they leave the body behind and make an anonymous phone call to the police, tipping them off.

The group makes a secret pact to bury the memory of that night and never speak of it again, but when one of the girls receives a note that reads “I know what you did last summer,” their dark lie is unearthed. With twists and turns at every corner, they’ll have to fight to stay steps ahead of a killer determined to make them pay.

Ebook Available on Overdrive

Bored and stuck at home? Check out CCPL’s recommendations for some great Travel books on Hoopla. These publications were chosen for their quality of content and accessibility in digital format – so you do not have to leave home to enjoy these great reads! 

1,000 Places to See in the United States and Canada Before You Die  by Patricia Schultz

Covering the U.S.A. and Canada like never before, and for the first time with full-color photographs, here are 1,000 compelling, essential, offbeat, utterly unforgettable places. Pristine beaches and national parks, world-class museums and the Just for Laughs festival, mountain resorts, salmon-rich rivers, scenic byways, the Oyster Bar and the country’s best taco, lush gardens and coastal treks at Point Reyes, rafting the Upper Gauley (if you dare). Plus resorts, vineyards, hot springs, classic ballparks, the Talladega Speedway, and more. Includes new attractions, like Miami’s Pérez Art Museum and Manhattan’s High Line, plus more than 150 places of special interest to families. And, for every entry, what you need to know about how and when to visit.

100 Japanese Gardens by Stephen Mansfield

The Best Gardens to Visit in Japan

Part of the 100 Japanese Sites to See series

100 Japanese Gardens is an ambitious attempt to profile the finest gardens in Japan, while also highlighting lesser known, but equally accomplished landscapes in less-visited parts of the country. A celebration of Japanese landscape design, this book features gardens from Kyoto and Tokyo, as well as from the sub-arctic island of Hokkaido and the semi-tropical islands of Okinawa. Author Stephen Mansfield traveled the length and breadth of Japan on a quest to identify the most impressive gardens in this vast and culturally varied archipelago. His erudition and love of the Japanese garden shines through on every page, making this the perfect primer for travel to Japan or an enjoyable armchair read for gardening enthusiasts. Mansfield’s insightful descriptions of each garden examine design concepts and principles, space management, compositional elements, and the iconographic and metaphysical role of Shinto and Buddhist influences. Through his exquisite visuals and engaging stories, we experience Japanese garden designs not merely as landscapes, but as large-scale art installations. 

149 Paintings You Really Need to See in North America by Julian Porter, Stephen Grant

Tour North America’s greatest museums and galleries in the company of two incomparable guides. This lively companion highlights the essential paintings, by some of the world’s greatest painters, from Giotto to Picasso, on display in North American museums and galleries. Julian Porter has had a life-long passion for art. He worked for seven years as a student tour guide in Europe and since has conducted countless gallery tours in Europe and North America. His co-author, Stephen Grant, brings a wealth of expertise in twentieth-century artists, and presents them within the framework of a North American–led, sustained burst of originality and shock. Presented with wit and irreverence, here is the best that North American galleries have to offer. Focused and curated to give you everything you need to enjoy the greatest works of art in the best company and save you the sore feet and superfluous information.

Atlas Obscura by Joshua Foer, Ella Morton, Dylan Thuras

The bestselling book that celebrates wonder all around the world and in our backyards, now in an updated second edition with more than 120 brand-new destinations to explore, new city guides, and a full-color gatefold.

Birnbaum’s 2020 Walt Disney World by Birnbaum Guides

The Official Vacation Guide

Colorado Excursions with History, Hikes and Hops by Ed Sealover

Colorado is replete with natural beauty, award-winning breweries and a history that reflects its wild and rugged character. Author Ed Sealover offers this detailed guide to ten three-day excursions full of nature, history and unique watering holes. Discover sprawling parks and celebrated landmarks throughout the state. Visit oddball destinations like the trail of America’s favorite cannibal and the renowned ghost town of Saint Elmo. Work up a thirst on the hiking trails of Rocky Mountain National Park and unwind on the single block in the state that is home to a brewery, a winery and a distillery. Uncover the craft, creative and cultural gems that make the Centennial State a curious wanderer’s dream.

Frommer’s Hawaii 2020 by Martha Cheng, Jeanne Cooper

Comprehensive and completely up-to-date, Frommer’s Hawaii 2020 covers all the major Hawaiian islands, and takes you from world-famous beaches to secluded rain-forests and everywhere in between. Frommer’s expert authors―both journalists who specialize in Hawaii―know every inch of the islands and they’re not afraid to tell the truth. With their reliable, straight-shooting advice, you’ll be snorkeling in palm-fringed lagoons, catching the sunrise over a soaring volcano, relaxing on postcard-ready beaches, and experiencing Hawaii’s rich cultural traditions and innovative regional cuisine―everything you need for an unforgettable trip.

Lonely Planet USA’s National Parks by Various Authors

Lonely Planet’s USA’s National Parks is your passport to the most relevant, up-to-date advice on what to see and skip, and what hidden discoveries await you. Catch the country’s ‘first sunrise’ from the top of Cadillac Mountain in Acadia, take the drive of your life on the Going-to-the-Sun Road in Glacier, and climb the otherworldly rocks of Joshua Tree – all with your trusted travel companion. Get to the heart of USA’s National Parks and begin your journey now!

Lonely Planet’s Best in Travel 2020 by Various Authors

This annual bestseller ranks the hottest, must-visit countries, regions, cities and best value destinations for 2020. Drawing on the knowledge and passion of Lonely Planet’s staff, authors and online community, we present a year’s worth of inspiration to take you out of the ordinary and into the unforgettable. As self-confessed travel geeks, we regularly ask ourselves: where are the best places in the world to visit right now? It’s a very hotly contested topic at Lonely Planet and generates more discussion than any other. Best in Travel is our definitive answer. We also reveal how well planned, sustainable travel can be a force for good: for the environment, for local people and for yourself – and include ways to help lower your carbon footprint and protect the areas you visit on your travels.

1,000 Foods To Eat Before You Die by Mimi Sheraton

The ultimate gift for the food lover. In the same way that 1,000 Places to See Before You Die reinvented the travel book, 1,000 Foods to Eat Before You Die is a joyous, informative, dazzling, mouthwatering life list of the world’s best food. The long-awaited new book in the phenomenal 1,000 . . . Before You Die series, it’s the marriage of an irresistible subject with the perfect writer, Mimi Sheraton-award-winning cookbook author, grande dame of food journalism, and former restaurant critic for The New York Times. 1,000 Foods fully delivers on the promise of its title, selecting from the best cuisines around the world (French, Italian, Chinese, of course, but also Senegalese, Lebanese, Mongolian, Peruvian, and many more)-the tastes, ingredients, dishes, and restaurants that every reader should experience and dream about, whether it’s dinner at Chicago’s Alinea or the perfect empanada. In more than 1,000 pages and over 550 full-color photographs, it celebrates haute and snack, comforting and exotic, hyper-local and the universally enjoyed: a Tuscan plate of Fritto Misto. Saffron Buns for breakfast in downtown Stockholm. Bird’s Nest Soup. A frozen Milky Way. Black truffles from Le Périgord. Mimi Sheraton is highly opinionated, and has a gift for supporting her recommendations with smart, sensuous descriptions-you can almost taste what she’s tasted. You’ll want to eat your way through the book (after searching first for what you have already tried, and comparing notes). Then, following the romance, the practical: where to taste the dish or find the ingredient, and where to go for the best recipes, websites included.

Why should you read books written and featuring minorities and women? Reading about the stories of diverse Americans is a great way to understand and appreciate one another.  Representation is important at all levels of literature (check out this article by Scholastic Books’ On My Mind blog on why representation means to children). We all want to see and read about people we can relate to.  Also, reading about people who are different from us allows for us to expand our understanding of the world around us, regardless if we can visit them physically or just virtually (check out this article where the author only read books by minority authors for a year and her experiences while doing so).  By reading books written and featuring minorities and women, it also encourages publishing houses to publish more books written by and about these topics and market them the same as other books (check out this article by NPR about diversity in publishing).

So are you ready to start reading? Check out these eBooks available on Overdrive/Libby to begin!

He Calls Me By Lightning by S. Jonathan Bass

Named one of the Best Books of the Year by the Washington Post and Kirkus Reviews
A New York Times Book Review Editors’ Choice Selection
A Southern Independent Booksellers Association “Spring Pick”

This harrowing portrait of the Jim Crow South “proves how much we do not yet know about our history” (New York Times Book Review).

Caliph Washington didn’t pull the trigger but, as Officer James “Cowboy” Clark lay dying, he had no choice but to turn on his heel and run. The year was 1957; Cowboy Clark was white, Caliph Washington was black, and this was the Jim Crow South.

Widely lauded for its searing “insight into a history of America that can no longer be left unknown” (Washington Post), He Calls Me by Lightning is an “absorbing chronicle” (Ira Katznelson) of the forgotten life of Caliph Washington that becomes an historic portrait of racial injustice in the civil rights era. Washington, a black teenager from the vice-ridden city of Bessemer, Alabama, was wrongfully convicted of killing a white Alabama policeman in 1957 and sentenced to death. Through “meticulous research and vivid prose” (Patrick Phillips), S. Jonathan Bass reveals Washington’s Kafkaesque legal odyssey: he came within minutes of the electric chair nearly a dozen times and had his conviction overturned three times before finally being released in 1972. Devastating and essential, He Calls Me by Lightning demands that we take into account the thousands of lives cast away by the systemic racism of a “social order apparently unchanged even today” (David Levering Lewis).

Casi Una Mujer by Esmeralda Santiago

A simultaneous Spanish-language edition, originally translated for Vintage by
Nina Torres-Vidal

In her new memior, the acclaimed author of When I Was Puerto Rican continues the riveting chronicle of her life.

“Negi,” as Santiago’s family affectionately calls her, leaves rural Macun in 1961 to live in a three-bedroom tenement apartment with seven siblings, and inquisitive grandmother, and a strict mother who won’t allow her to date. At thirteen, Negi yearns for her own bed, for privacy, and her father, who remains in Puerto Rico. Translating for Mami at the welfare office in the morning, starring as Cleopatra at New York’s Performing Arts High School in the afternoon, and dancing salsa all night, she also seeks to find balance between being an American and Puerto Rican. When Negi defies her mother by going on a series of dates, she finds that independence brings challenges.

At once a universally poignant coming-of-age tale and a heartfelt immigrant’s story, Almost a Woman is Santiago’s triumphant journey into womanhood.

This Heart Holds Many by Koe Creation

Many of us were asked by our mother to do the dishes as children. Perhaps some of us would need to be asked more than once. Koe Creation was the type who’d get asked three times, by three different mothers. Crowded parent-teacher conferences, queer youth summer camp, and parental adoptions over potluck dinner were typical of Koe’s otherwise divergent upbringing raised in a queer, polyamorous family. Taught from young age to embrace sex-positivity and LGBT acceptance, Koe had, no doubt, an experience of “family values” that differs wildly from that of many who were raised in conservative North America. Still: all families know conflict, and all hearts know struggle, no matter how loved. While in the spotlight as a “poster child” for the alternative Seattle community, Koe yearned for a realization of theirself beyond the “shadow of their tribe.” This drive for a singular identity to navigate a world of collective relationships led Koe to leave the alt-Seattle scene behind them—first for the vivacious beaches of Hawai’i, and later, the couches of San Francisco—to find the self that no one person or family could make for them. This Heart Holds Many is a testament of transformative, communal love, as told by an educator and life-long learner who has dedicated their life to helping others grasp their extraordinary love.

How We Fight For Our Lives by Saeed Jones

From award-winning poet Saeed Jones, How We Fight for Our Lives—winner of the Kirkus Prize and the Stonewall Book Award—is a “moving, bracingly honest memoir” (The New York Times Book Review) written at the crossroads of sex, race, and power.One of the best books of the year as selected by The New York Times; The Washington Post; NPR; Time; The New Yorker; O, The Oprah Magazine; Harper’s Bazaar; Elle; BuzzFeed; Goodreads; and many more.
“People don’t just happen,” writes Saeed Jones. “We sacrifice former versions of ourselves. We sacrifice the people who dared to raise us. The ‘I’ it seems doesn’t exist until we are able to say, ‘I am no longer yours.'”Haunted and haunting, How We Fight for Our Lives is a stunning coming-of-age memoir about a young, black, gay man from the South as he fights to carve out a place for himself, within his family, within his country, within his own hopes, desires, and fears. Through a series of vignettes that chart a course across the American landscape, Jones draws readers into his boyhood and adolescence—into tumultuous relationships with his family, into passing flings with lovers, friends, and strangers. Each piece builds into a larger examination of race and queerness, power and vulnerability, love and grief: a portrait of what we all do for one another—and to one another—as we fight to become ourselves.An award-winning poet, Jones has developed a style that’s as beautiful as it is powerful—a voice that’s by turns a river, a blues, and a nightscape set ablaze. How We Fight for Our Lives is a one-of-a-kind memoir and a book that cements Saeed Jones as an essential writer for our time.

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl by Linda Brent

Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl is the immensely powerful autobiography of Harriet Jacobs, who wrote under a pen name. A feminist work, she uses her experiences to state and restate her belief that though all unhappiness sprung from being a slave, she had to endure worse, being also a woman. Her experiences show that the only refuge and relief to be found were in other women, and also that women were less able to attempt freedom when that would mean leaving their children behind. Her autobiography is the account of her struggle to achieve that freedom and respect and redefine herself. Her life is a testament to her grandmother’s credo: “He that is willing to be a slave, let him be a slave.”

Hidden Figures by Margot Shetterly

New York Times Bestseller

The phenomenal true story of the black female mathematicians at NASA whose calculations helped fuel some of America’s greatest achievements in space. Soon to be a major motion picture starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer, Janelle Monae, Kirsten Dunst, and Kevin Costner.

Before John Glenn orbited the earth, or Neil Armstrong walked on the moon, a group of dedicated female mathematicians known as “human computers” used pencils, slide rules and adding machines to calculate the numbers that would launch rockets, and astronauts, into space.

Among these problem-solvers were a group of exceptionally talented African American women, some of the brightest minds of their generation. Originally relegated to teaching math in the South’s segregated public schools, they were called into service during the labor shortages of World War II, when America’s aeronautics industry was in dire need of anyone who had the right stuff. Suddenly, these overlooked math whizzes had a shot at jobs worthy of their skills, and they answered Uncle Sam’s call, moving to Hampton, Virginia and the fascinating, high-energy world of the Langley Memorial Aeronautical Laboratory.

All You Can Ever Know by Nicole Chung

NATIONAL BESTSELLER

What does it mean to lose your roots—within your culture, within your family—and what happens when you find them?

Nicole Chung was born severely premature, placed for adoption by her Korean parents, and raised by a white family in a sheltered Oregon town. From childhood, she heard the story of her adoption as a comforting, prepackaged myth. She believed that her biological parents had made the ultimate sacrifice in the hope of giving her a better life, that forever feeling slightly out of place was her fate as a transracial adoptee. But as Nicole grew up—facing prejudice her adoptive family couldn’t see, finding her identity as an Asian American and as a writer, becoming ever more curious about where she came from—she wondered if the story she’d been told was the whole truth.

With warmth, candor, and startling insight, Nicole Chung tells of her search for the people who gave her up, which coincided with the birth of her own child. All You Can Ever Know is a profound, moving chronicle of surprising connections and the repercussions of unearthing painful family secrets—vital reading for anyone who has ever struggled to figure out where they belong.

Yellow Bird by Sierra Crane Murdoch

The gripping true story of a murder on an Indian reservation, and the unforgettable Arikara woman who becomes obsessed with solving it—an urgent work of literary journalism.
 
“I don’t know a more complicated, original protagonist in literature than Lissa Yellow Bird, or a more dogged reporter in American journalism than Sierra Crane Murdoch.”—William Finnegan, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Barbarian Days
NAMED ONE OF THE BEST BOOKS OF THE YEAR BY PUBLISHERS WEEKLY

When Lissa Yellow Bird was released from prison in 2009, she found her home, the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in North Dakota, transformed by the Bakken oil boom. In her absence, the landscape had been altered beyond recognition, her tribal government swayed by corporate interests, and her community burdened by a surge in violence and addiction. Three years later, when Lissa learned that a young white oil worker, Kristopher “KC” Clarke, had disappeared from his reservation worksite, she became particularly concerned. No one knew where Clarke had gone, and few people were actively looking for him.

Yellow Bird traces Lissa’s steps as she obsessively hunts for clues to Clarke’s disappearance. She navigates two worlds—that of her own tribe, changed by its newfound wealth, and that of the non-Native oilmen, down on their luck, who have come to find work on the heels of the economic recession. Her pursuit of Clarke is also a pursuit of redemption, as Lissa atones for her own crimes and reckons with generations of trauma. Yellow Bird is an exquisitely written, masterfully reported story about a search for justice and a remarkable portrait of a complex woman who is smart, funny, eloquent, compassionate, and—when it serves her cause—manipulative. Drawing on eight years of immersive investigation, Sierra Crane Murdoch has produced a profound examination of the legacy of systematic violence inflicted on a tribal nation and a tale of extraordinary healing.

Truevine by Beth Macy

The true story of two African-American brothers who were kidnapped and displayed as circus freaks, and whose mother endured a 28-year struggle to get them back.

The year was 1899 and the place a sweltering tobacco farm in the Jim Crow South town of Truevine, Virginia. George and Willie Muse were two little boys born to a sharecropper family. One day a white man offered them a piece of candy, setting off events that would take them around the world and change their lives forever.

Captured into the circus, the Muse brothers performed for royalty at Buckingham Palace and headlined over a dozen sold-out shows at New York’s Madison Square Garden. They were global superstars in a pre-broadcast era. But the very root of their success was in the color of their skin and in the outrageous caricatures they were forced to assume: supposed cannibals, sheep-headed freaks, even “Ambassadors from Mars.” Back home, their mother never accepted that they were “gone” and spent 28 years trying to get them back.

Through hundreds of interviews and decades of research, Beth Macy expertly explores a central and difficult question: Where were the brothers better off? On the world stage as stars or in poverty at home? Truevine is a compelling narrative rich in historical detail and rife with implications to race relations today.

Raising My Rainbow by Lori Duron

Raising My Rainbow is Lori Duron’s frank, heartfelt, and brutally funny account of her and her family’s adventures of distress and happiness raising a gender-creative son.

Whereas her older son, Chase, is a Lego-loving, sports-playing boy’s boy, Lori’s younger son, C.J., would much rather twirl around in a pink sparkly tutu, with a Disney Princess in each hand while singing Lady Gaga’s “Paparazzi.”

C.J. is gender variant or gender nonconforming, whichever you prefer. Whatever the term, Lori has a boy who likes girl stuff—really likes girl stuff. He floats on the gender-variation spectrum from super-macho-masculine on the left all the way to super-girly-feminine on the right. He’s not all pink and not all blue. He’s a muddled mess or a rainbow creation. Lori and her family choose to see the rainbow.

Written in Lori’s uniquely witty and warm voice and launched by her incredibly popular blog of the same name, Raising My Rainbow is the unforgettable story of her wonderful family as they navigate the often challenging but never dull privilege of raising a slightly effeminate, possibly gay, totally fabulous son.

The Line Becomes a River by Francisco Cantu

NAMED A TOP 10 BOOK OF 2018 BY NPR and THE WASHINGTON POST SHORTLISTED FOR THE ANDREW CARNEGIE MEDAL OF EXCELLENCE FINALIST FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK CRITIC CIRCLE’S JOHN LEONARD PRIZE. The instant New York Times bestseller, “A must-read for anyone who thinks ‘build a wall’ is the answer to anything.” —Esquire

For Francisco Cantú, the border is in the blood: his mother, a park ranger and daughter of a Mexican immigrant, raised him in the scrublands of the Southwest. Driven to understand the hard realities of the landscape he loves, Cantú joins the Border Patrol. He and his partners learn to track other humans under blistering sun and through frigid nights. They haul in the dead and deliver to detention those they find alive. Plagued by a growing awareness of his complicity in a dehumanizing enterprise, he abandons the Patrol for civilian life. But when an immigrant friend travels to Mexico to visit his dying mother and does not return, Cantú discovers that the border has migrated with him, and now he must know the full extent of the violence it wreaks, on both sides of the line.

In the Dream House by Carmen Maria Machado

A revolutionary memoir about domestic abuse by the award-winning author of Her Body and Other Parties

In the Dream House is Carmen Maria Machado’s engrossing and wildly innovative account of a relationship gone bad, and a bold dissection of the mechanisms and cultural representations of psychological abuse. Tracing the full arc of a harrowing relationship with a charismatic but volatile woman, Machado struggles to make sense of how what happened to her shaped the person she was becoming.And it’s that struggle that gives the book its original structure: each chapter is driven by its own narrative trope—the haunted house, erotica, the bildungsroman—through which Machado holds the events up to the light and examines them from different angles. She looks back at her religious adolescence, unpacks the stereotype of lesbian relationships as safe and utopian, and widens the view with essayistic explorations of the history and reality of abuse in queer relationships.Machado’s dire narrative is leavened with her characteristic wit, playfulness, and openness to inquiry. She casts a critical eye over legal proceedings, fairy tales, Star Trek, and Disney villains, as well as iconic works of film and fiction. The result is a wrenching, riveting book that explodes our ideas about what a memoir can do and be.

The Fire Next Time by James Baldwin

An official Oprah Winfrey’s “The Books That Help Me Through” selection

A national bestseller when it first appeared in 1963, The Fire Next Time galvanized the nation, gave passionate voice to the emerging civil rights movement—and still lights the way to understanding race in America today.”Basically the finest essay I’ve ever read. . . . Baldwin refused to hold anyone’s hand. He was both direct and beautiful all at once. He did not seem to write to convince you. He wrote beyond you.” —Ta-Nehisi Coates
 
At once a powerful evocation of James Baldwin’s early life in Harlem and a disturbing examination of the consequences of racial injustice, the book is an intensely personal and provocative document from the iconic author of If Beale Street Could Talk and Go Tell It on the Mountain. It consists of two “letters,” written on the occasion of the centennial of the Emancipation Proclamation, that exhort Americans, both black and white, to attack the terrible legacy of racism. Described by The New York Times Book Review as “sermon, ultimatum, confession, deposition, testament, and chronicle…all presented in searing, brilliant prose,” The Fire Next Time stands as a classic of literature.

And here are a few additional titles that are children’s level books:

50 Fearless Pioneers Who Changed the World by Rachel Ignotofsky

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!
— BrainPickings – Best Science Books of the Year

Dreamers by Yuyi Morales

A charmingly illustrated and educational book, New York Times best seller Women in Science highlights the contributions of fifty notable women to the fields of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) from the ancient to the modern world. Full of striking, singular art, this fascinating collection also contains infographics about relevant topics such as lab equipment, rates of women currently working in STEM fields, and an illustrated scientific glossary. The trailblazing women profiled include well-known figures like primatologist Jane Goodall, as well as lesser-known pioneers such as Katherine Johnson, the African-American physicist and mathematician who calculated the trajectory of the 1969 Apollo 11 mission to the moon.Women in Science celebrates the achievements of the intrepid women who have paved the way for the next generation of female engineers, biologists, mathematicians, doctors, astronauts, physicists, and more!
— BrainPickings – Best Science Books of the Year

Of Thee I Sing by Barack Obama

Former president Barack Obama delivers a tender, beautiful letter to his daughters in this picture book illustrated by the award-winning Loren Long (Otis) that’s made to be treasured!

In this tender, beautiful letter to his daughters, President Barack Obama has written a moving tribute to thirteen groundbreaking Americans and the ideals that have shaped our nation. From the artistry of Georgia O’Keeffe, to the courage of Jackie Robinson, to the patriotism of George Washington, President Obama sees the traits of these heroes within his own children, and within all of America’s children.Breathtaking, evocative illustrations by award-winning artist Loren Long at once capture the personalities and achievements of these great Americans and the innocence and promise of childhood.This beautiful book celebrates the characteristics that unite all Americans, from our nation’s founders to generations to come. It is about the potential within each of us to pursue our dreams and forge our own paths. It is a treasure to cherish with your family forever.

Who Was Rosa Parks by Yona Zeldis McDonough

In 1955, Rosa Parks refused to give her bus seat to a white passenger in Montgomery, Alabama. This seemingly small act triggered civil rights protests across America and earned Rosa Parks the title ÒMother of the Civil Rights Movement.Ó This biography has blackand- white illustrations throughout.

Josephine by Patricia Hruby Powell

Coretta Scott King Book Award, Illustrator, Honor
Robert F. Sibert Informational Book Award, Honor
Boston Globe–Horn Book Award, Nonfiction Honor

In exuberant verse and stirring pictures, Patricia Hruby Powell and Christian Robinson create an extraordinary portrait for young people of the passionate performer and civil rights advocate Josephine Baker, the woman who worked her way from the slums of St. Louis to the grandest stages in the world. Meticulously researched by both author and artist, Josephine’s powerful story of struggle and triumph is an inspiration and a spectacle, just like the legend herself.

Want a creepy story to get into the mood for fall?  Check out these haunting YA selections–they’ll have you sleeping with the light on!

Minor Prophets by Jimmy Cajoleas

Lee’s mother always told him his visions were not real.  Then she dies in a car accident. Lee and his sister Murphy move to their grandmother’s ranch, but something is not right.  Why did their mother never take them there?  And what horror lies behind Lee’s visions?

The Bone Witch by Rin Chupeco

Tea learns she is a necromancer when she accidentally raises her brother from the dead.  Rejected by her community, she begins training under an older bone witch. The start of a trilogy.

Labyrinth Lost by Zoraida Córdova

Alex is a powerful bruja, a witch, but she hates her magic.  At her Deathday celebration, she attempts to rid herself of her magic.  Instead, her family disappears.  Now she must ally herself with a brujo boy if she ever wants to see them again.

House of Salt and Sorrows by Erin A. Craig

Annaleigh and her twelve sisters live in an isolated manor by the sea.  Now four of her sisters are dead.  Haunted by visions, Annaleigh begins to think her sisters’ deaths were no accident. Who–or what–are they dancing with every night?  A retelling of “The Twelve Dancing Princesses.”

Brown Girl Ghosted by Mintie Das

Violet Choudhury has always been able to see spirits.  She has tried to ignore it, but when a cheerleader is found dead, she is going to need the spirits’ help if she wants to find the murderer.

The Last Apprentice Series: Revenge of the Witch by Joseph Delaney

Old Gregory has long been the county spook, keeping the inhabitants safe from supernatural creatures.  But none of his apprentices has lasted.  Only one remains: Tom Ward.  But can Tom outwit a witch determined to get his bones?  The first in a series.

A Skinful of Shadows by Frances Hardinge

An illegitimate daughter of the aristocratic Fellmotte family, Makepeace has inherited the ability to serve as a vessel for spirits.  Unwilling to be used to house her ancestors, however, she attempts to find a way to escape.  But the country is descending  into chaos as the English Civil War rages.  Will Makepeace be able to find her way in a nation torn apart?

The Name of the Star by Maureen Johnson

Rory Deveaux arrives in London just in time to spot the key suspect in a series of gruesome murders.  It turns out, however, she is the only one who can see him.  Can she work with the secret ghost police to solve the mystery before she becomes the next victim?  The first in the Shades of London series.

Stalking Jack the Ripper by Kerri Maniscalco

Though a lord’s daughter, seventeen-year-old Audrey Rose Wadsworth secretly studies forensics.  When she is drawn into a case involving a serial murderer, however, she realizes that her investigation might lead closer to home than she imagined.

The Raven’s Tale by Cat Winters

Young Edgar Poe has only one dream: to attend university so he can leave his foster family and marry his beloved Elmira.  Then a Muse finds him.  Muses are terrible creatures who lead Artists to ruin.  But this one, Lenore, wants Edgar to make the world remember her.

 The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latinx writer and illustrator whose work represents and exalts Latin culture in the United States. These novels, memoirs,and poetry books share experiences of Latin American, Caribbean, and the immigrant experience in the United States. This is particularly important during these times because they honor and pay homage to the diversity and multiculturalism in Latin America and the United States. Enjoy!

Lucky Broken Girl by Ruth Behar

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(From Overdrive) In this unforgettable multicultural coming-of-age narrative—based on the author’s childhood in the 1960s—a young Cuban-Jewish immigrant girl is adjusting to her new life in New York City when her American dream is suddenly derailed. Ruthie’s plight will intrigue readers, and her powerful story of strength and resilience, full of color, light, and poignancy, will stay with them for a long time. Ruthie Mizrahi and her family recently emigrated from Castro’s Cuba to New York City. Just when she’s finally beginning to gain confidence in her mastery of English—and enjoying her reign as her neighborhood’s hopscotch queen—a horrific car accident leaves her in a body cast and confined her to her bed for a long recovery. As Ruthie’s world shrinks because of her inability to move, her powers of observation and her heart grow larger and she comes to understand how fragile life is, how vulnerable we all are as human beings, and how friends, neighbors, and the power of the arts can sweeten even the worst of times. From the Hardcover edition.

The Epic Fail by Pablo Cartaya

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(From Overdrive) Save the restaurant. Save the town. Get the girl. Make Abuela proud. Can thirteen-year-old Arturo Zamora do it all or is he in for a BIG, EPIC FAIL?

For Arturo, summertime in Miami means playing basketball until dark, sipping mango smoothies, and keeping cool under banyan trees. And maybe a few shifts as junior lunchtime dishwasher at Abuela’s restaurant. Maybe. But this summer also includes Carmen, a poetry enthusiast who moves into Arturo’s apartment complex and turns his stomach into a deep fryer. He almost doesn’t notice the smarmy land developer who rolls into town and threatens to change it. Arturo refuses to let his family and community go down without a fight, and as he schemes with Carmen, Arturo discovers the power of poetry and protest through untold family stories and the work of José Martí.

Funny and poignant, The Epic Fail of Arturo Zamora is the vibrant story of a family, a striking portrait of a town, and one boy’s quest to save both, perfect for fans of Rita Williams-Garcia.

The First Rule of Punk by Celia C. Pérez

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(From Overdrive)From debut author and longtime zine-maker Celia C. Pérez, The First Rule of Punk is a wry and heartfelt exploration of friendship, finding your place, and learning to rock out like no one’s watching.

There are no shortcuts to surviving your first day at a new school—you can’t fix it with duct tape like you would your Chuck Taylors. On Day One, twelve-year-old Malú (María Luisa, if you want to annoy her) inadvertently upsets Posada Middle’s queen bee, violates the school’s dress code with her punk rock look, and disappoints her college-professor mom in the process. Her dad, who now lives a thousand miles away, says things will get better as long as she remembers the first rule of punk: be yourself.

The real Malú loves rock music, skateboarding, zines, and Soyrizo (hold the cilantro, please). And when she assembles a group of like-minded misfits at school and starts a band, Malú finally begins to feel at home. She’ll do anything to preserve this, which includes standing up to an anti-punk school administration to fight for her right to express herself! Black and white illustrations and collage art throughout make The First Rule of Punk a perfect pick for fans of books like Roller Girl and online magazines like Rookie.

Yaqui Delgado Wants to Kick Your Ass by Meg Medina

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(From Overdrive)One morning before school, some girl tells Piddy Sanchez that Yaqui Delgado hates her and wants to kick her ass. Piddy doesn’t even know who Yaqui is, never mind what she’s done to piss her off. Word is that Yaqui thinks Piddy is stuck-up, shakes her stuff when she walks, and isn’t Latin enough with her white skin, good grades, and no accent. And Yaqui isn’t kidding around, so Piddy better watch her back. At first Piddy is more concerned with trying to find out more about the father she’s never met and how to balance honors courses with her weekend job at the neighborhood hair salon. But as the harassment escalates, avoiding Yaqui and her gang starts to take over Piddy’s life. Is there any way for Piddy to survive without closing herself off or running away? In an all-too-realistic novel, Meg Medina portrays a sympathetic heroine who is forced to decide who she really is

Esperanza Rising by Pam Muñoz Ryan

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(From Overdrive) Esperanza Rising joins the Scholastic Gold line, which features award-winning and beloved novels. Includes exclusive bonus content!

Esperanza thought she’d always live a privileged life on her family’s ranch in Mexico. She’d always have fancy dresses, a beautiful home filled with servants, and Mama, Papa, and Abuelita to care for her. But a sudden tragedy forces Esperanza and Mama to flee to California and settle in a Mexican farm labor camp. Esperanza isn’t ready for the hard work, financial struggles brought on by the Great Depression, or lack of acceptance she now faces. When Mama gets sick and a strike for better working conditions threatens to uproot their new life, Esperanza must find a way to rise above her difficult circumstances-because Mama’s life, and her own, depend on it.

I Lived on Butterfly Hill by Marjorie Agosin

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(From Hoopla)An eleven-year-old’s world is upended by political turmoil in this “lyrically ambitious tale of exile and reunification” (Kirkus Reviews) from an award-winning poet, based on true events in Chile.

Celeste Marconi is a dreamer. She lives peacefully among friends and neighbors and family in the idyllic town of Valparaiso, Chile—until one day when warships are spotted in the harbor and schoolmates start disappearing from class without a word. Celeste doesn’t quite know what is happening, but one thing is clear: no one is safe, not anymore.

The country has been taken over by a government that declares artists, protestors, and anyone who helps the needy to be considered “subversive” and dangerous to Chile’s future. So Celeste’s parents—her educated, generous, kind parents—must go into hiding before they, too, “disappear.” Before they do, however, they send Celeste to America to protect her. As Celeste adapts to her new life in Maine, she never stops dreaming of Chile. But even after democracy is restored to her home country, questions remain: Will her parents re-emerge from hiding? Will she ever be truly safe again? Accented with interior artwork, steeped in the history of Pinochet’s catastrophic takeover of Chile, and based on many true events, this multicultural ode to the power of revolution, words, and love is both indelibly brave and heart wrenchingly graceful.

Return To Sender by Julia Alvarez

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After Tyler’s father is injured in a tractor accident, his family is forced to hire migrant Mexican workers to help save their Vermont farm from foreclosure. Tyler isn’t sure what to make of these workers. Are they undocumented? And what about the three daughters, particularly Mari, the oldest, who is proud of her Mexican heritage but also increasingly connected to her American life. Her family lives in constant fear of being discovered by the authorities and sent back to the poverty they left behind in Mexico. Can Tyler and Mari find a way to be friends despite their differences?

In a novel full of hope, but no easy answers, Julia Alvarez weaves a beautiful and timely story that will stay with readers long after they finish it.From the Hardcover edition.

The Surrender Tree by Margarita Engle

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(From Overdrive) It is 1896. Cuba has fought three wars for independence and still is not free. People have been rounded up in reconcentration camps with too little food and too much illness. Rosa is a nurse, but she dares not go to the camps. So she turns hidden caves into hospitals for those who know how to find her.

Black, white, Cuban, Spanish—Rosa does her best for everyone. Yet who can heal a country so torn apart by war?

Using the true story of the folk hero Rosa la Bayamesa, acclaimed poet Margarita Engle gives us another gripping, breathtaking account of a tumultuous period in Cuban history.

Enchanted Air by Margarita Engle

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(From Overdrive) In this poetic memoir, which won the Pura Belpré Author Award, was a YALSA Nonfiction Finalist, and was named a Walter Dean Myers Award Honoree, acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells of growing up as a child of two cultures during the Cold War.

Margarita is a girl from two worlds. Her heart lies in Cuba, her mother’s tropical island country, a place so lush with vibrant life that it seems like a fairy tale kingdom. But most of the time she lives in Los Angeles, lonely in the noisy city and dreaming of the summers when she can take a plane through the enchanted air to her beloved island. Words and images are her constant companions, friendly and comforting when the children at school are not.

Then a revolution breaks out in Cuba. Margarita fears for her far-away family. When the hostility between Cuba and the United States erupts at the Bay of Pigs Invasion, Margarita’s worlds collide in the worst way possible. How can the two countries she loves hate each other so much? And will she ever get to visit her beautiful island again?

Looking for a spooky story to keep you entertained this fall?  Check out this selection of middle-grade reads, perfect for those who like being scared.

The Night Gardener by Jonathan Auxier

Molly and Kip arrive to work at a mysterious English estate that the locals claim is haunted.  At first, the siblings do not believe it.  But every night someone walks the grounds, and the family seem to be losing their health.  At the heart of the riddle lies a tree that can grant anyone’s heart’s desire.  But the cost may be too great to pay.  This deliciously scary tale will keep readers awake all night!

The Jumbies by Tracey Baptiste

Corinne La Mer does not believe in jumbies, the terrible spirits said to haunt the forest.  But when a beautiful stranger enchants Corinne’s father, Corinne realizes it is up to her to save her island–before the jumbies claim it for their own.  The first in a series.

Night Wings by Joseph Bruchac

Paul knows the Abenaki legend of the winged monster known as the Pmola.  But he has never believed it until now.  He has been having dreams that are leading him up to the top of the mountain.  And nothing can prepare him for what he is about to face.

Cuckoo Song by Frances Hardinge

When Triss wakes up after an accident, she knows something is wrong.  Her sisters are frightened of her and she keeps waking up with leaves in her hair.  To discover the truth, she will have to travel into the dark Underbelly of the city.  But it may already be too late.  This creepy historical fiction, set in England after WWI, will deliver all the thrills and chills.

Room of Shadows by Ronald Kidd

David Cray has anger issues.  And now he’s been grounded in his creepy new house by his mom.  In a secret room, he discovers an old writing desk and a raven carving.  Does the room have something to do with famous author Edgar Allan Poe?  And why do the people who hurt David keep getting hurt themselves?  David must solve the mystery before it’s too late.

Spirit Hunters by Ellen Oh

When Harper Raine’s family moves to a new house, Harper is convinced that it is haunted.  Her brother Michael is acting strangely, and refuses to talk with anyone except for his new friend Billy–whom no one else can see.  What can a seventh grader do to save her brother from possession?

Ghost Squad by Claribel A. Ortega

Lucely Luna accidentally casts a spell that awakens evil spirits. Now she, her friend Syd, and her witch grandmother must work together to save their city from destruction.

Splendors and Glooms by Laura Amy Schlitz

Master puppeteer Gaspare Grisini’s creations are so realistic they seem alive.  His assistants are two orphans, Lizzie Rose and Parsefall.  When rich girl Clara Wintermute goes missing, Lizzie and Parse are the prime suspects.  Now they will have to uncover the mystery surrounding Grisini’s past and his entanglement with a witch if they ever want to clear their names.

City of Ghosts by Victoria Schwab

Ever since she drowned, Cassidy Blake can see ghosts.  In fact, her best friend Jacob is a ghost.  But now her parents are starting to film a documentary series about haunted locations all over the world.  As they travel to Edinburgh, Scotland, Cassidy and Jacob find themselves confronted with a spooky mystery that might just take Cass’s life.  For good this time.  The first in a series.

The Screaming Staircase by Jonathan Stroud

In an alternative England, the dead don’t stay buried.  Only children can see the ghosts who reappear to harm the living, however, so psychic detection agencies have sprung up to fight the spirits.  Young Lucy Carlyle arrives in London to join Anthony Lockwood’s team.  But can they solve the mystery of the Screaming Staircase?  The first in a riveting series of five

The Pura Belpré Award is presented to a Latinex writer and illustrator whose work represents, affirms, and celebrates the LAtino cultural experience. It is named after Pura Belpré the first Latina librarian at the New York Public Library. The following staff picklist has some of the Pura Belpre Award winning Picture books for children. In this Hipanic Heritage Month let’s celebrate our diversity by teaching our children about the Latino experience in the United States with these colorful vibrant books filled with hope and positive lessons.

Frida Kahlo and Her Animalitos

(From Hoopla) The fascinating Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is remembered for her self-portraits, her dramatic works featuring bold and vibrant colors. Her work brought attention to Mexican and indigenous culture, and she is also renowned for her works celebrating the female form. Brown’s story recounts Frida’s beloved pets—two monkeys, a parrot, three dogs, two turkeys, an eagle, a black cat, and a fawn—and playfully considers how Frida embodied many wonderful characteristics of each animal.

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Danza!

Award-winning author and illustrator Duncan Tonatiuh tells the story of Amalia Hernández, dancer and founder of El Ballet Folklórico de México.

Published in time for the 100th anniversary of Hernández’s birth, Danza! is the first picture book about the famous dancer and choreographer.

Danza! is a celebration of Hernández’s life and of the rich history of dance in Mexico. As a child, Amalia always thought she would grow up to be a teacher, until she saw a performance of dancers in her town square. She was fascinated by the way the dancers twirled and swayed, and she knew that someday she would be a dancer, too. She began to study many different types of dance, including ballet and modern, under some of the best teachers in the world. Hernández traveled throughout Mexico studying and learning regional dances. Soon she founded her own dance company, El Ballet Folklórico de México, where she integrated her knowledge of ballet and modern dance with folkloric dances. The group began to perform all over the country and soon all over the world, becoming an international sensation that still tours today.

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Celia Cruz Queen of Salsa

(From Overdrive)This soulful biography of the salsa superstar begins with her childhood in Havana through her success in her own country, and on to her heartbreaking emigration from Cuba and into worldwide stardom. Her love for learning, her classical training, and her devotion to her birth country, are all presented in this lyrical tribute to a musical sensation.

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Separate is Never Equal

Almost 10 years before Brown vs. Board of Education, Sylvia Mendez and her parents helped end school segregation in California. An American citizen of Mexican and Puerto Rican heritage who spoke and wrote perfect English, Mendez was denied enrollment to a ‘Whites only’ school. Her parents took action by organizing the Hispanic community and filing a lawsuit in federal district court. Their success eventually brought an end to the era of segregated education in California.

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Across the Bay

RECIPIENT OF THE PURA BELPRÉ ILLUSTRATOR HONOR

Author-illustrator Carlos Aponte takes readers on a journey to the heart of Puerto Rico in this enchanting picture book set in Old San Juan.

“A lively and honest story about filling voids and exploring what defines a family—as well as a love letter to a childhood home.”—Horn Book

Carlitos lives in a happy home with his mother, his abuela, and Coco the cat. Life in his hometown is cozy as can be, but the call of the capital city pulls Carlitos across the bay in search of his father. Jolly piragüeros, mischievous cats, and costumed musicians color this tale of love, family, and the true meaning of home.

Cosmos-Catalogue
Overdrive- Ebook(Sample)

Dreamers

(From Hoopla) In 1994, twenty-five-year-old Yuyi Morales traveled from her home in Yelapa, Mexico, to the San Francisco Bay Area with her two-month-old son, Kelly, in order to secure permanent residency in this country. Her passage was not easy, and she spoke no English whatsoever. But due in large measure to help and guidance provided by area children’s librarians, she learned English the same way her young son learned to read: through the picture books, they shared together. In spare, lyrical verse and with the vibrant images for which she has become legendary, Yuyi has created a lasting testament to the journeys, both physical and metaphorical, that she and Kelly have taken together in the intervening years. Beautiful and powerful at any time-but given particular urgency as the status of our own Dreamers becomes uncertain-this is a story that is both topical and timeless.

Cosmos – Catalogue
Hoopla- Movie (Ebook)
Hoopla-Audiobook
Overdrive- Audiobook
Overdrive- Ebook

Mi Papi Tiene Una Moto

(From Hoopla) When Daisy Ramona zooms around her neighborhood with her papi on his motorcycle, she sees the people and places she’s always known. She also sees a community that is rapidly changing around her. But as the sun sets purple-blue-gold behind Daisy Ramona and her papi, she knows that the love she feels will always be there. My Papi Has a Motorcycle is a young girl’s love letter to her hardworking dad and to memories of home that we hold close in the midst of change.

Cosmos-Catalogue
Hoopla – Movie
Hoopla- Audiobook
Hoopla – Movie (Spanish)

Planting Stories: The Life of Librarian and Storyteller Pura Belpré

An inspiring picture book biography of storyteller, puppeteer, and New York City’s first Puerto Rican librarian, who championed bilingual literature.

When she came to America in 1921, Pura Belpré carried the cuentos folklóricos of her Puerto Rican homeland. Finding a new home at the New York Public Library as a bilingual assistant, she turned her popular retellings into libros and spread story seeds across the land. Today, these seeds have grown into a lush landscape as generations of children and storytellers continue to share her tales and celebrate Pura’s legacy.

Brought to colorful life by Paola Escobar’s elegant and exuberant illustrations and Anika Aldamuy Denise’s lyrical text, this gorgeous book is perfect for the pioneers in your life.

Cosmos – Catalogue
Overdrive – Ebook (Sample)

Dancing Hands: How Teresa Carreño Played the Piano for President Lincoln

(From Hoopla) As a little girl, Teresa Carreño loved to let her hands dance across the beautiful keys of the piano. If she felt sad, music cheered her up, and when she was happy, the piano helped her share that joy. Soon she was writing her own songs and performing in grand cathedrals. Then a revolution in Venezuela forced her family to flee to the United States. Teresa felt lonely in this unfamiliar place, where few of the people she met spoke Spanish. Worst of all, there was fighting in her new home, too-the Civil War. Still, Teresa kept playing, and soon she grew famous as the talented Piano Girl who could play anything from a folk song to a sonata-so famous, in fact, that President Abraham Lincoln wanted her to play at the White House! Yet with the country torn apart by war, could Teresa’s music bring comfort to those who needed it most?

Cosmos-Catalog
Hoopla – Ebook
Hoopla- Read along
Hoopla- Audiobook