I’ve got a nice mix of things this month! We’ll start with some supernatural, horror and fantasy, and move into a Western and a contemporary. Enjoy!
“The Cost of Knowing” by Brittney Morris
Alex can see the future. When he touches objects or people, he sees what will happen days, weeks or even years in its future. Though it may seem like a blessing, Alex knows it’s a curse—especially when he sees the death of his little brother Isaiah. He’s never been able to change a vision before, but Alex will do whatever it takes to change this one. Being Black in their affluent Chicago suburb presents enough challenges and dangers on its own, and then Alex discovers that he’s not Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: April 2021”
May is just around the corner and so is Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. To celebrate, I have a curated list of books written by Asian American/Pacific Islander (AAPI) authors, about AAPI stories, for everyone to enjoy.
CONTEMPORARY FICTION
“The Astonishing Color of After” by Emily X. R. Pan
After her mother’s suicide, grief-stricken Leigh Chen Sanders travels to Taiwan for the first time to stay with grandparents she has never met, determined to find her mother who she believes turned into a bird.
“Frankly in Love” by David Yoon
High school seniors Frank Li and Joy Song pretend to date each other in order to please their Korean parents which gives them the freedom to date other (non-Korean) people. Continue reading “Celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage”
After three months of competition, central Missouri teens have selected their March Madness Teen Book Tournament Champion! We began with a list of 16 finalists which included bestsellers such as “Dear Martin” by Nic Stone and popular series starters like “To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before” by Jenny Han.
Many thanks to the teachers and school librarians who have supported this program, and to all the teens who have participated! And now, our 2021 champion is…
“Renegades” by Marissa Meyer
Subscribe to our teen program newsletter to get a sneak peek of this year’s Summer Reading program, “Tales & Tails.” Through this program, the library challenges young adults to read for 15 hours, share three book reviews and do seven of our suggested activities. Complete the challenge, and you will be eligible to win some pretty awesome prizes like an Amazon Fire tablet! More information to come later this month.
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Unbound Book Festival is entirely online. Unbound is hosting a variety of weekly author panels, poetry readings and writing workshops through April. Review their full schedule for more details.
Next Tuesday, March 23 at 7 p.m., Unbound will host “Changing Landscapes in YA Fiction” with authors Anuradha Rajurkar, Brie Spangler and Louisa Onomé. Tune in on Facebook or YouTube as these acclaimed YA authors discuss challenges of writing for the next generation of readers.
Anuradha Rajurkar is the author of the newly released young adult novel, “American Betiya.’ In this book, a young artist grapples with first love, family boundaries and the complications of a cross-cultural relationship. Rajurkar is the national recipient of the SCBWI Emerging Voices Award for this debut work. Check out the excerpt! Continue reading “YA Author Panel: Changing Landscapes in YA Fiction”
It’s spring! Let’s welcome it in with some fantastic new books.
“Lost in the Never Woods” by Aiden Thomas
If you loved the author’s “Cemetery Boys” from last year, get excited for their version of Peter Pan! Five years ago, Wendy Darling was found wandering in the woods, with no memory of the past six months, and no idea where her two younger brothers were. Wendy’s worked hard to deal with the trauma and grief of losing her brothers, and she’s ready to start nursing school and finally move on with her life. But then children start disappearing again, and a boy named Peter begs for her help. Wendy is drawn back into the half-remembered world of her childhood, and amid shadowy secrets, must face the truth about her past. Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: March 2021”
The Dogwood Readers Award recognizes quality nonfiction books for school-age youth. Titles are broken down into four grade ranges: K-2; 3-5; 6-8; and 9-12. Below is a complete listing of award finalists for middle school and high school readers.
This award was founded just last year by the Missouri Association of School Librarians (MASL). The award selection committee is comprised of nine librarians who work in K-12 school districts throughout the state of Missouri. You can offer your suggestions for consideration at the Dogwood Readers Award website. Continue reading “2020-21 Dogwood Award Finalists”
For the delightfully short month of February, I’ve got some romance and some thrillers. All of these books have a February release date, so if they’re not here physically yet, look for the eBook! I love not having to wait for shipping on digital items.
“Yesterday Is History” by Kosoko Jackson
When Andre receives a liver transplant, it does more than save his life. Six months after the procedure, he wakes up outside his house in the year 1969. After meeting a confident and attractive boy who lives in Andre’s future house, Andre slips back into the present. His donor’s family contacts him and explains the genetic gift of time traveling that he’s inherited. They task their son Blake with teaching Andre how to time travel, and Andre must make sense of his attraction to the boy in the past and the one in his present. Refreshingly, the book also explores the differences between Andre’s experiences in the past as a young Black man, and the experience of Blake’s affluent white family. Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: February 2021”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Unbound Book Festival is entirely online. Unbound is hosting a variety of weekly author panels, poetry readings and writing workshops through April. Review their full schedule for more details.
Next Thursday, February 18 at 7 p.m., Unbound will host “Mask Off/Mask On” with authors Dean Atta and Elizabeth Lim. Tune in on Facebook or YouTube as these acclaimed YA authors discuss their characters’ fight to defy gender and societal expectations.
Dean Atta is the author of “The Black Flamingo.” This book is a coming-of-age story about a young man who is coming to terms with his identity as a mixed-race gay teen, then, at university, he finds his wings as a drag artist, The Black Flamingo. This novel in verse was awarded the Stonewall Book Award for exceptional merit relating to the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender experience. It was also among School Library Journal’s Best Books of 2020. Continue reading “YA Author Panel: Mask Off/Mask On”
For my first post of the year, I’ve got a nice mix of genres! We’ve got thrillers, we’ve got sci-fi, we’ve got love stories and we’ve got fantasy—not to mention some great diverse representation. I’d say 2021 is off to a pretty good start.
“The Girls I’ve Been” by Tess Sharpe
Let’s start with a queer thriller. Nora lives with her older sister and is attempting to have a normal life. Though after years of assisting her con artist mother by assuming various identities, it can be hard to figure out what normal looks like. Things seem to be going alright, other than the inevitable awkwardness when her ex-boyfriend walks in on her kissing her new girlfriend. But when the three of them become hostages in a bank robbery, Nora can feel her past and present colliding. Continue reading “The Selector’s Selections: January 2021”
Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year’s Unbound Book Festival will be entirely online. Unbound will be hosting a variety of weekly author panels, poetry readings and writing workshops through April. Review their full schedule for more details.
This Thursday, January 21 at 7 p.m., Unbound will host “Queer Narratives in YA Fiction,” a Q&A session with authors Michael Barakiva and Lindsay Sproul. Watch live on Facebook or YouTube.
In the meantime, be sure to check our list of recommended LGBTQIA+ titles for teens!
