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Roland Park Country School: Upper School Summer Reading 2023

RPCS Libraries

Assigned Summer Reading

Welcome to Roland Park Country School's Summer Reading LibGuide for Upper School students!

Upper School students will read one or two designated titles for their RPCS English classes, plus one free choice book from this LibGuide. Scroll down below the English titles to see covers, titles and descriptions for choice book options.
Find the titles required for English classes at RPCS in the table below. Reading guides are linked below many titles.
Respond to your choice book with one of the options listed in this reading response assignment. Your choice reading assignment is due on Tuesday, September 5 in your advisory.
Many of the choice titles on this LibGuide were recommended by RPCS Upper School students and are available through our SORA eBook and digital audio collection. Look for "available on SORA" in the details below each book.
The AP and Honors Course Summer Assignments LibGuide provides information for the required summer work for RPCS's AP and Honors Courses in English, history, mathematics science, visual arts, world languages, and the Integrated Studies courses.
Students taking courses at Bryn Mawr and Gilman should check the following links for additional requirements: Bryn Mawr School's Upper School Summer Reading and Gilman School's Upper School Summer Reading.
The Ivy Bookshop is offering a 10% discount on all summer reading. Families can visit the shop, which is open every day from 10am-7pm, or their website, where they can use the coupon code SUMMER10 to take advantage of the discount.

Required Titles for English Classes at RPCS

English 9:

In the Time of the Butterflies byJulia Alvarez (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for In the Time of the Butterflies

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

English 9 Honors:

In the Time of the Butterflies byJulia Alvarez (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for In the Time of the Butterflies

Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for Poet X

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

English 10:

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for Purple Hibiscus

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

English 10 Honors:

Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for Purple Hibiscus

Trick Mirror by Jia Tolentino (Available in SORA) Please only read these six selected essays: Introduction, The I in the Internet, Reality TV Me, Always Be Optimizing, Pure Heroines, The Cult of the Difficult Woman

Click here for the reading guide for Trick Mirror

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

English 11 at RPCS:

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz (Available in SORA)

Click here for the reading guide for Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

English 11 at Gilman:

Please check this link for requirements from Gilman.

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

12th Grade English Courses at RPCS:

Disabilities in Literature:

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time by Mark Haddon (Available in SORA)

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

AP English Literature and Composition:

Mrs. Dalloway and A Room of One’s Own, both books by Virginia Woolf

Plus one free choice contemporary NOVEL from this LibGuide

Telling African Stories:

Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi (Available in SORA)

Plus one free choice book from this LibGuide

Young Adult Fiction

The Agathas by Kathleen Glasgow; Liz Lawson
Call Number: J FIC GLA
ISBN: 9780593431115
Publication Date: 2022-05-03
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • Who killed Brooke Donovan? It’s the biggest mystery of the summer, and everyone in Castle Cove thinks they know what happened. But they're wrong. Two unlikely friends come together to solve the case in this fast-paced, fun, modern Agatha Christie inspired thriller.
Almost Autumn by Marianne Kaurin; Rosie Hedger (Translator)
ISBN: 9780545889650
Publication Date: 2017-01-03
Available in SORA. In this internationally acclaimed debut, Marianne Kaurin recreates the atmosphere of secrecy and uncertainty in World War II Norway in a moving story of sorrow, chance, and first love.
Anatomy: a Love Story by Dana Schwartz
ISBN: 9781250774156
Publication Date: 2022-01-18
*INSTANT #1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER* Schwartz's magical novel is at once gripping and tender, and the intricate plot is engrossing as the reader tries to solve the mystery. This is, in the end, the story of the anatomy of the human heart. - Booklist (starred review) Not for the squeamish!
And Other Mistakes by Erika Turner
Call Number: J FIC TUR
ISBN: 9781250834843
Publication Date: 2023-02-14
Seventeen-year-old Aaliyah is trying to survive her last years of high school, but things become much more complicated after she is outed by a church elder and Aaliyah must navigate new friends, old flames, and nosy school counselors during her senior year.
The Beautiful by Renée Ahdieh
ISBN: 9781524738198
Publication Date: 2021-08-31
Available in SORA. New York Times bestselling author Renée Ahdieh returns with a sumptuous, sultry and romantic new series set in 19th century New Orleans where vampires hide in plain sight.
Begin Again by Emma Lord
Call Number: J FIC LOR
ISBN: 9781250783363
Publication Date: 2023-01-24
Filled with a friend group that feels like family, an empowering journey of finding your own way, and a Just Kiss Already! romance, Emma Lord's Begin Again is an unforgettable YA novel of love and starting again.
The Black Queen by Jumata Emill
Call Number: J FIC EMI
ISBN: 9780593568545
Publication Date: 2023-01-31
(Available in SORA) Nova Albright was going to be the first Black homecoming queen at Lovett High—but now she's dead. Murdered on coronation night. Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Other Black Girl will love this unputdownable thriller. YA
Blood Debts by Terry J. Benton-Walker
Call Number: J FIC BEN
ISBN: 9781250825926
Publication Date: 2023-04-04
“Fully charged with magic and mystery. Blood Debts is an extravaganza from start to finish, weaving age-old family history alongside the tender feelings of new love. Terry J. Benton-Walker will have you breathless by the end.” —Chloe Gong, New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights
The City Beautiful by Aden Polydoros
ISBN: 9781335402509
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
Available in SORA. Death lurks around every corner in this unforgettable Jewish historical fantasy about a city, a boy, and the shadows of the past that bind them both together.
Cool. Awkward. Black by Karen Strong (Editor)
Call Number: J FIC COO
ISBN: 9780593525098
Publication Date: 2023-01-10
Real or imaginary, geekdom is where it's at in this multi-genre YA anthology that celebrates "the geek," with stories by some of today's top bestselling, critically acclaimed Black authors. YA
A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas
ISBN: 9781635575569
Publication Date: 2020-06-02
From bestselling author Sarah J. Maas comes a seductive, breathtaking book that blends romance, adventure, and faerie lore into an unforgettable read. (series)
Darling by K. Ancrum
Call Number: J FIC ANC
ISBN: 9781250265265
Publication Date: 2021-06-22
A teen girl finds herself lost on a dangerous adventure in this YA thriller by the acclaimed author of The Wicker King and The Weight of the Stars—reimagining Peter Pan for today’s world.
Daughter of Sparta by Claire Andrews
Call Number: J FIC AND
ISBN: 9780316540070
Publication Date: 2021-06-08
In this thrilling reimagining of ancient Greek mythology, a headstrong girl becomes the most powerful fighter her people have ever seen. (series)
The Davenports by Krystal Marquis
Call Number: J FIC MAR
ISBN: 9780593463338
Publication Date: 2023-01-31
(Available in SORA) The Davenports delivers a totally escapist, swoon-worthy romance while offering a glimpse into a period of African American history often overlooked. (series)
Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury
Call Number: J FIC SAM
ISBN: 9781665903493
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
The Haunting of Hill House meets Sadie in this evocative and mind-bending psychological thriller following two teen girls navigating the treacherous past of a mysterious mansion ten years apart.
Dig Two Graves by Gretchen McNeil
Call Number: J FIC MCN
ISBN: 9781368072847
Publication Date: 2022-04-26
"While at a girls' empowerment camp, high school pariah Neve and her new best friend Diane joke about killing each other's bullies, and soon after returning home, Neve finds herself being blackmailed into committing murder."
Everyone Hates Kelsie Miller by Meredith Ireland
Call Number: J FIC IRE
ISBN: 9781665906975
Publication Date: 2022-10-11
Kelsie and Eric, rivals for valedictorian, team up to go on an overnight road trip to the University of Pennsylvania to win back their exes.
Everything I Thought I Knew by Shannon Takaoka
Call Number: J FIC TAK
ISBN: 9781536207767
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
A teenage girl wonders if she’s inherited more than just a heart from her donor in this compulsively readable, romantic debut.
Fatal Throne: the Wives of Henry VIII Tell All by Candace Fleming; et al.
Call Number: J FIC AND
ISBN: 9781984830333
Publication Date: 2020-02-18
(Available in SORA) This is an edge-of-your-seat reimagining of the romance and tragedy that defined the six wives of Henry VIII, told from multiple points of view by award-winning and bestselling authors.
Firekeeper's Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Call Number: J FIC BOU
ISBN: 9781250766564
Publication Date: 2021-03-16
(Available on SORA) With four starred reviews, Angeline Boulley's debut novel, Firekeeper's Daughter, is a groundbreaking YA thriller about a Native teen who must root out the corruption in her community, perfect for readers of Angie Thomas and Tommy Orange.
Foul Lady Fortune by Chloe Gong
Call Number: J FIC GON
ISBN: 9781665905589
Publication Date: 2022-09-27
From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of These Violent Delights and Our Violent Ends comes the “equal parts intoxicating and dazzling” (Roshani Chokshi, New York Times bestselling author of The Gilded Wolves) first book in a captivating new duology following an ill-matched pair of spies posing as a married couple to investigate a series of brutal murders in 1930s Shanghai.
Girl Forgotten by April Henry
Call Number: J FIC HEN
ISBN: 9780316322591
Publication Date: 2023-03-28
"When seventeen-year-old Piper Gray starts a true crime podcast investigating a seventeen-year-old murder cold case, she puts her life in danger as she digs deep into the mysteries of the past."
Going Dark by Melissa de la Cruz
Call Number: J FIC DEL
ISBN: 9781454947646
Publication Date: 2023-01-31
In this ripped-from-the-headlines Gone Girl meets A Good Girl's Guide to Murder, #1 New York Times bestselling author Melissa de la Cruz weaves a white-knuckle YA thriller about a beautiful young influencer who vanishes after going on vacation with her boyfriend.
Greymist Fair by Francesca Zappia
Call Number: J FIC ZAP
ISBN: 9780063161696
Publication Date: 2023-03-28
The villagers of Greymist Fair know that the woods are a dangerous and magical place, and that they should never set foot off the road. But when a young tailor discovers a body, her search for the culprit reveals even more strange and dark happenings around her town.
Highly Suspicious and Unfairly Cute by Talia Hibbert
Call Number: J FIC HIB
ISBN: 9780593482339
Publication Date: 2023-01-03
(Available in SORA) NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • This laugh-out-loud story is about a quirky content creator and a clean-cut athlete testing their abilities to survive the great outdoors—and each other.
Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed
ISBN: 9780316282642
Publication Date: 2022-05-10
(Available in SORA) "With Hollow Fires, Samira Ahmed offers us an impossible-to-put-down thriller that is both spectacularly haunting and deeply thoughtful. Safiya and Jawad are not narrators we usually see, and their harrowing story is a wholly original commentary on perception, community, and the way society weighs one life against another." --Sabaa Tahir #1 NYT bestselling author of An Ember in the Ashes
The Honeys by Ryan La Sala
Call Number: J FIC LAS
ISBN: 9781338745313
Publication Date: 2022-08-16
From Ryan La Sala, the wildly popular author of Reverie, comes a twisted and tantalizing horror novel set amidst the bucolic splendor of a secluded summer retreat.
Imposter Syndrome and Other Confessions of Alejandra Kim by Patricia Park
Call Number: J FIC PAR
ISBN: 9780593563373
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
(Available in SORA) A multicultural teen struggles to fit into her elite prep school, her diverse Queens neighborhood, and even her own home. A hilarious, poignant, and powerful YA novel from the award-winning author of Re Jane.
I Must Betray You by Ruta Sepetys
ISBN: 9781984836038
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
(Available in SORA) A #1 New York Times and National Bestseller!
A gut-wrenching, startling historical thriller about communist Romania and the citizen spy network that devastated a nation, from the #1 New York Times bestselling, award-winning author of Salt to the Sea and Between Shades of Gray.
The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina by Zoraida Córdova
ISBN: 9781982102548
Publication Date: 2021-09-07
(Available in SORA) Alternating between Orquídea's past and her descendants' present, The Inheritance of Orquídea Divina is a "spellbinding tale, both timeless and fresh, that will stay with you long after you've turned the last page. Prepare to fall in love" (Kim Liggett, New York Times bestselling author).
Ink and Ashes by Valynne E. Maetani
Call Number: J FIC MAE
ISBN: 9781620142110
Publication Date: 2015-06-01
(Available in SORA) In this heart-pounding mystery, teenager Claire Takata stumbles on a secret from the past and must race to outrun her father's dangerous legacy.
The Keeper of Night by Kylie Lee Baker
ISBN: 9781335405661
Publication Date: 2021-10-12
A girl of two worlds, accepted by none... A half Reaper, half Shinigami soul collector seeks her destiny in this haunting and compulsively readable dark fantasy duology set in 1890s Japan.
Kingdom of Souls by Rena Barron
Call Number: J FIC BAR
ISBN: 9780062870964
Publication Date: 2020-08-11
Set in a richly imagined world inspired by whispered tales of voodoo and folk magic, Rena Barron’s captivating debut is the beginning of a thrilling saga about a girl caught between gods, monsters, and the gift and the curse of power. (series)
Last Chance Dance by Lakita Wilson
Call Number: J FIC WIL
ISBN: 9780593525616
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
(Available in SORA) An utterly charming YA romance perfect for fans of Elise Bryant and Leah Johnson.
A Lesson in Vengeance by Victoria Lee
ISBN: 9780593305829
Publication Date: 2021-08-03
A dark, twisty thriller about a centuries-old, ivy-covered boarding school haunted by its history of witchcraft and two girls dangerously close to digging up the past. The dangerous romance and atmospheric setting makes it a perfect read for fans of dark academia.
The Life and Crimes of Hoodie Rosen by Isaac Blum
Call Number: J FIC BLU
ISBN: 9780593525821
Publication Date: 2022-09-13
The Chosen meets Adam Silvera in this irreverent and timely story of worlds colliding in friendship, betrayal, and hatred.
Live Your Best Lie by Jessie Weaver
Call Number: J FIC WEA
ISBN: 9781368078368
Publication Date: 2023-01-24
(Available in SORA) Sometimes the prettiest Instagram feeds mask the darkest—and bloodiest—secrets.
The Love Match by Priyanka Taslim
Call Number: JFIC TAS
ISBN: 9781665901109
Publication Date: 2023-01-03
To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before meets Pride and Prejudice in this delightful and heartfelt rom-com about a Bangladeshi American teen whose meddling mother arranges a match to secure their family’s financial security—just as she’s falling in love with someone else.
The Making of Yolanda la Bruja by Lorraine Avila
Call Number: J FIC AVI
ISBN: 9781646142439
Publication Date: 2023-04-11
“Suspenseful…A boldly characterized protagonist whose intersectional identities as a queer and Deaf person of color informs her sharp-witted narrative voice and conviction around combatting racism within her community.” —Publishers Weekly (starred)
The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline
Call Number: J FIC DIM
ISBN: 9781770864863
Publication Date: 2017-09-01
(Available in SORA) "The indigenous people of North America are being hunted and harvested for their bone marrow, which carries the key to recovering something the rest of the population has lost: the ability to dream. In this dark world, Frenchie and his companions struggle to survive as they make their way up north to the old lands. For now, survival means staying hidden... but what they don't know is that one of them holds the secret to defeating the marrow thieves"--Back cover.
My Dear Henry: a Jekyll and Hyde Remix by Kalynn Bayron
Call Number: J FIC BAY
ISBN: 9781250833563
Publication Date: 2023-03-07
This gothic YA remix of Dr. Jekyll & Mr. Hyde subverts the cishet white perspective of the original, starring a Black queer teen searching for the reason behind his best friend’s disappearance and the arrival of a magnetic stranger.
My Flawless Life by Yvonne Woon
Call Number: J FIC WOO
ISBN: 9780063008694
Publication Date: 2023-02-14
Yvonne Woon, author of If You, Then Me, has crafted a slow-burn thriller about fixing—our friends, ourselves, and our complicated pasts. For fans of Allegedly and We Were Liars, My Flawless Life features a compelling narrator who grapples with the secrets of her private school classmates as well as her own life.
Never Ever Getting Back Together by Sophie Gonzales
Call Number: J FIC GON
ISBN: 9781250819161
Publication Date: 2022-11-29
When Maya and Skye are invited to star on the reality dating show Second-Chance Romance, they're whisked away to a beautiful mansion--along with four more of Jordy's exes--to compete for his affections while the whole world watches. Skye wonders if she and Jordy can recapture the spark she knows they had, but Maya has other plans: exposing Jordy and getting revenge. As they navigate the competition, Skye and Maya discover that their real happily ever after is nothing they could have scripted.
Nightbirds by Kate J. Armstrong
Call Number: J FIC ARM
ISBN: 9780593463277
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
AN INTERNATIONAL BESTSELLER • In a dazzling new fantasy world full of whispered secrets and political intrigue, the magic of women is outlawed but four girls with unusual powers have the chance to change it all.
No Way Home by Jody Feldman
Call Number: J FIC FEL
ISBN: 9781728254265
Publication Date: 2022-08-02
In this propulsive new thriller, a dream summer in Italy turns into a harrowing ordeal for an American exchange student.
Okoye to the People by Ibi Zoboi
Call Number: J FIC ZOB
ISBN: 9781368046978
Publication Date: 2022-03-22
"A Black Panther novel...When her first mission brings her to the Brooklyn neighborhood of Brownsville, Okoye, discovering the truth about a manipulative real-estate mogul, is torn between fulfilling her duty to Wakanda or listening to her own heart and standing up for the people of Brownsville."
Other Side of the Tracks by Charity Alyse
Call Number: J FIC ALY
ISBN: 9781534497719
Publication Date: 2022-11-22
This “stirring…emotionally raw” (Publishers Weekly) young adult debut novel about three teens entangled by secret love, open hatred, and the invisible societal constraints wrapped around people both Black and white is perfect for readers of All American Boys and The Hate U Give.
Our Crooked Hearts by Melissa Albert
Call Number: J FIC ALB
ISBN: 9781250826367
Publication Date: 2022-06-28
"Told in alternating voices, years after it began, seventeen-year-old Ivy and her mom Dana's shared story comes down to a reckoning among a daughter, a mother, and the dark forces they never should have messed with."
Out Now by Saundra Mitchell; et al.
ISBN: 9781335018267
Publication Date: 2020-05-26
(Available in SORA) Fans of Becky Albertelli, Adam Silvera and Nina LaCour will eat up this delicious anthology of romantic and adventurous contemporary and speculative stories featuring LGBTQ+ teens.
Perfectly Parvin by Olivia Abtahi
ISBN: 9780593109427
Publication Date: 2021-05-18
(Available in SORA) Olivia Abtahi's debut is as hilarious as it is heartfelt--a delightful tale where, amid the turmoil of high school friendships and crushes, being yourself is always the perfect way to be.
Poster Girl by Veronica Roth
Call Number: J FIC ROT
ISBN: 9780358164098
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
(Available in SORA) From #1 New York Times bestselling author Veronica Roth, a dystopian novel about one woman’s desperate search for a missing girl...and the dark family secrets she uncovers along the way.
Private Label by Kelly Yang
Call Number: J FIC YAN
ISBN: 9780062941107
Publication Date: 2022-05-31
The Devil Wears Prada meets Far from the Tree in #1 New York Times bestselling author Kelly Yang’s powerful love story about two teens searching for their place in the world.
Promise Boys by Nick Brooks
Call Number: J FIC BRO
ISBN: 9781250866974
Publication Date: 2023-01-31
Promise Boys is a blockbuster, dark academia mystery about three teens of color who must investigate their principal’s murder to clear their own names. This page-turning thriller is perfect for fans of Karen McManus, Jason Reynolds, Angie Thomas, and Holly Jackson.
The Rumor Game by Dhonielle Clayton; Sona Charaipotra
ISBN: 9781368014144
Publication Date: 2022-03-01
(Available in SORA) All it takes is one spark to start a blaze.
At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for the children of DC's elite, a single rumor has the power to ruin a life. Nobody knows that better than Bryn. She used to have it all--the perfect boyfriend, a bright future in politics, and even popularity thanks to her best friend, cheer captain Cora. Then one mistake sparked a scandal that burned it all to the ground.
Scattered Showers by Rainbow Rowell
Call Number: SS ROW
ISBN: 9781250855411
Publication Date: 2022-11-08
(Available in SORA) It’s a feast of irresistible characters, hilarious dialogue, and masterful storytelling—in short, everything you’d expect from a Rainbow Rowell book.
A Scatter of Light by Malinda Lo
Call Number: J FIC LO
ISBN: 9780525555285
Publication Date: 2022-10-04
An Instant New York Times Bestseller, Last Night at the Telegraph Club author Malinda Lo returns to the Bay Area with another masterful queer coming-of-age story, this time set against the backdrop of the first major Supreme Court decisions legalizing gay marriage.
The Second Death of Edie and Violet Bond by Amanda Glaze
Call Number: J FIC GLA
ISBN: 9781454946786
Publication Date: 2022-10-04
Cross into the spirit realm with this thrilling supernatural debut about sisterhood and female defiance, perfect for fans of Kerri Maniscalco-- inspired by lives of real teenage twin mediums in the 19th century.
The Secrets We Keep by Cassie Gustafson
Call Number: J FIC GUS
ISBN: 9781665906944
Publication Date: 2022-11-08
This “exceedingly well-written, powerful, and suspenseful” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) young adult novel follows a girl’s struggle to reconcile friendship, sexual abuse, and the secrets we bury deep down inside to survive.
Seven Percent of Ro Devereux by Ellen O'Clover
Call Number: J FIC OCL
ISBN: 9780063255036
Publication Date: 2023-01-17
This is a clever, charming, and poignant debut novel with a masterful slow-burn romance at its core about a girl who must decide whether to pursue her dreams or preserve her relationships, including a budding romance with her ex-best friend, when an app she created goes viral.
She Is a Haunting by Trang Thanh Tran
Call Number: J FIC TRA
ISBN: 9781547610815
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
Seventeen-year-old bisexual Jade Nguyrn is spending the summer in Vietnam at the French colonial house her estranged father is fixing up as a vacation rental, but unbeknownst to her family, the house and its ghosts have other plans.
Sixteen Scandals by Sophie Jordan
Call Number: J FIC JOR
ISBN: 9780358206217
Publication Date: 2021-05-25
In this frothy regency romp perfect for fans of Austen-esque flirtation and Shakespearean hijinks, sometimes a little scandal can be a good thing.
Skin of the Sea by Natasha Bowen
Call Number: J FIC BOW
ISBN: 9780593120941
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
(Available in SORA) NYT bestselling author Nicola Yoon calls this book, “epic and original,” in which one mermaid takes on the gods themselves. Perfect for fans of Children of Blood and Bone and Beasts of Prey. (series)
Sorcery of Thorns by Margaret Rogerson
Call Number: J FIC ROG
ISBN: 9781481497619
Publication Date: 2019-06-04
From the New York Times bestselling author of An Enchantment of Ravens comes an “enthralling adventure” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) about an apprentice at a magical library who must battle a powerful sorcerer to save her kingdom. (series)
Spice Road by Maiya Ibrahim
Call Number: J FIC IBR
ISBN: 9780593126967
Publication Date: 2023-01-24
When she learns that her brother is spreading the nation's secret spice magic to outsiders, Shield warrior Imani sets out on a dangerous mission to find him, discovering secrets that lie beyond the Forbidden Wastes--and in her own heart.
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
Call Number: J FIC WEI
ISBN: 9780316591249
Publication Date: 2023-03-14
(Available in SORA) From the beloved #1 bestselling author of Code Name Verity, this thrilling murder mystery set in 1937 Europe soars with intrigue, glamour, secrets, and betrayal.
They're Watching You by Chelsea Ichaso
Call Number: J FIC ICH
ISBN: 9781728251066
Publication Date: 2023-01-03
When a secret society has you in their sights, it can lead to power, privilege… or death.
This Is Not a Personal Statement by Tracy Badua
Call Number: J FIC BAD
ISBN: 9780063217751
Publication Date: 2023-01-17
Admission meets American Panda in this propulsive, poignant YA contemporary novel about a teen who, after getting rejected from her dream college, forges her own acceptance and commits to living a lie.
This Poison Heart by Kalynn Bayron
ISBN: 9781547603909
Publication Date: 2021-06-29
(Available in SORA) Darkness blooms in bestselling author Kalynn Bayron's new contemporary fantasy about a girl with a unique and deadly power. (series)
Warrior Girl Unearthed by Angeline Boulley
Call Number: J FIC BOU
ISBN: 9781250766588
Publication Date: 2023-05-02
(Available in SORA) With the rising number of missing Indigenous women, her family's involvement in a murder investigation, and grave robbers profiting off her Anishinaabe tribe, Perry takes matters into her own hands to solve the mystery and reclaim her people's inheritance.Sometimes, the truth shouldn't stay buried.
What's Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla
Call Number: J FIC PAD
ISBN: 9781641293358
Publication Date: 2022-08-02
Seventeen-year-old Minerva Gutiérrez plans revenge on her predatory boss in this equally poignant and thrilling contemporary YA about grief, anger, and fighting for what you deserve, perfect for fans of Tiffany D. Jackson and Erika L. Sánchez.
Whiteout by Dhonielle Clayton; Tiffany D. Jackson; Nic Stone; Angie Thomas; Ashley Woodfolk; Nicola Yoon
Call Number: J FIC CLA
ISBN: 9780063088146
Publication Date: 2022-11-08
Atlanta is blanketed with snow just before Christmas, but the warmth of young love just might melt the ice in this novel of Black joy, and cozy, sparkling romance—by the same unbeatable team of authors who wrote the New York Times bestseller Blackout!
Wild Tongues Can't Be Tamed by Saraciea J. Fennell
Call Number: J FIC SAR
ISBN: 9781250763426
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
Edited by The Bronx Is Reading founder Saraciea J. Fennell and featuring an all-star cast of Latinx contributors, Wild Tongues Can’t Be Tamed is a ground-breaking anthology that will spark dialogue and inspire hope.

Adult Fiction

The Adventures of Amina Al-Sirafi by Shannon Chakraborty
Call Number: FIC CHA
ISBN: 9780062963505
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
Shannon Chakraborty, the bestselling author of The City of Brass, spins a new trilogy of magic and mayhem on the high seas in this tale of pirates and sorcerers, forbidden artifacts and ancient mysteries, in one woman’s determined quest to seize a final chance at glory—and write her own legend.
All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr
Call Number: FIC DOE
ISBN: 9781501173219
Publication Date: 2017-04-04
Winner of the Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award finalist, the beloved instant New York Times bestseller and New York Times Book Review Top 10 Book about a blind French girl and a German boy whose paths collide in occupied France as both try to survive the devastation of World War II.
Beartown by Fredrik Backman
Call Number: FIC BAC
ISBN: 9781501160769
Publication Date: 2017-04-25
In Beartown, where the people are as "tough as the forest, as hard as the ice," the star player on the beloved hockey team is accused of rape, and the town turns upon itself. Swedish novelist Backman’s (A Man Called Ove, 2014, etc.) story quickly becomes a rich exploration of the culture of hockey, a sport whose acolytes see it as a violent liturgy on ice. (series)
Black Cake by Charmaine Wilkerson
ISBN: 9780593358337
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - In this moving debut novel, two estranged siblings deal with their mother's death and her hidden past--a journey of discovery that takes them from the Caribbean to London to California and ends with her famous black cake.
The Book of Form and Emptiness by Ruth Ozeki
Call Number: FIC OZE
ISBN: 9780399563645
Publication Date: 2021-09-21
A boy who hears the voices of objects all around him; a mother drowning in her possessions; and a Book that might hold the secret to saving them both—the brilliantly inventive new novel from the Booker Prize-finalist Ruth Ozeki.
The Book of Goose by Yiyun Li
Call Number: FIC LI
ISBN: 9780374606343
Publication Date: 2022-09-20
A magnificent, beguiling tale winding from the postwar rural provinces to Paris, from an English boarding school to the quiet Pennsylvania home where a woman can live without her past, The Book of Goose is a story of disturbing intimacy and obsession, of exploitation and strength of will, by the celebrated author Yiyun Li.
The Buddha in the Attic by Julie Otsuka
Call Number: FIC OTS
ISBN: 9780307744425
Publication Date: 2012-03-20
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • The acclaimed author of When the Emperor Was Divine tells the story of a group of young women brought from Japan to San Francisco as “picture brides” a century ago in this "understated masterpiece ... that unfolds with great emotional power" (San Francisco Chronicle).
Carolina Built by Kianna Alexander
ISBN: 9781982163693
Publication Date: 2022-09-06
This "exuberant celebration of Black women's joy as well as their achievements" (Kate Quinn, New York Times bestselling author) novelizes the life of real estate magnate Josephine N. Leary in a previously untold story of passion, perseverance, and building a legacy after emancipation in North Carolina.
Chain Gang All Stars by Nana Kwame Adjei-Brenyah
Call Number: FIC ADJ
ISBN: 9780593317334
Publication Date: 2023-05-02
A MOST ANTICIPATED BOOK OF THE YEAR • Two top women gladiators fight for their freedom within a depraved private prison system not so far-removed from America’s own in this explosive, hotly-anticipated debut novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Friday Black.
Circe by Madeline Miller
Call Number: FIC MIL
ISBN: 9780316556323
Publication Date: 2020-04-14
"A bold and subversive retelling of the goddess's story," this #1 New York Times bestseller is "both epic and intimate in its scope, recasting the most infamous female figure from the Odyssey as a hero in her own right" (Alexandra Alter, The New York Times).
Commitment by Mona Simpson
Call Number: FIC SIM
ISBN: 9780593319277
Publication Date: 2023-03-21
ONE OF THE MOST ANTICIPATED BOOKS OF THE YEAR—a masterful and engrossing novel about a single mother’s collapse and the fate of her family after she enters a California state hospital in the 1970s.
A Country You Can Leave by Asale Angel-Ajani
Call Number: FIC ANG
ISBN: 9780374604059
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
A stunning debut novel following the turbulent relationship of a Black, biracial teen and her ferocious Russian mother, struggling to survive in the California desert.
The Covenant of Water by Abraham Verghese
Call Number: FIC VER
ISBN: 9780802162175
Publication Date: 2023-05-02
OPRAH'S BOOK CLUB PICK - From the New York Times-bestselling author of Cutting for Stone comes a stunning and magisterial epic of love, faith, and medicine, set in Kerala, South India, following three generations of a family seeking the answers to a strange secret.
Flux by Jinwoo Chong
Call Number: FIC CHO
ISBN: 9781685890346
Publication Date: 2023-03-21
A blazingly original and stylish debut novel about a young man whose reality unravels when he suspects his mysterious employers have inadvertently discovered time travel—and are using it to cover up a string of violent crimes.
Goliath by Tochi Onyebuchi
ISBN: 9781250782953
Publication Date: 2022-01-25
In the 2050s, Earth has begun to empty. Those with the means and the privilege have departed the great cities of the United States for the more comfortable confines of space colonies. Those left behind salvage what they can from the collapsing infrastructure.
Hello Beautiful (Oprah's Book Club) by Ann Napolitano
Call Number: FIC NAP
ISBN: 9780593243732
Publication Date: 2023-03-14
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • OPRAH’S BOOK CLUB PICK • From a New York Times bestselling author comes a “powerfully affecting” (People) family story that asks: Can love make a broken person whole?
How Much of These Hills Is Gold by C. Pam Zhang
Call Number: FIC ZHA
ISBN: 9780525537205
Publication Date: 2020-04-07
An electric debut novel set against the twilight of the American gold rush, two siblings are on the run in an unforgiving landscape—trying not just to survive but to find a home.
The Invisible Life of Addie Larue, Special Edition by V. E. Schwab
ISBN: 9781250830746
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
A Life No One Will Remember. A Story You Will Never Forget. France, 1714: in a moment of desperation, a young woman makes a Faustian bargain to live forever--and is cursed to be forgotten by everyone she meets. Thus begins the extraordinary life of Addie LaRue, and a dazzling adventure that will play out across centuries and continents, across history and art, as a young woman learns how far she will go to leave her mark on the world.
The Invisible Woman by Erika Robuck
Call Number: FIC ROB
ISBN: 9780593102145
Publication Date: 2021-02-09
In the depths of war, she would defy the odds to help liberate a nation…a gripping historical novel based on the remarkable true story of World War II heroine Virginia Hall, from the bestselling author of Hemingway’s Girl.
Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus
Call Number: FIC GAR
ISBN: 9780385547345
Publication Date: 2022-04-05
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • GMA BOOK CLUB PICK • Meet Elizabeth Zott: “a gifted research chemist, absurdly self-assured and immune to social convention” (The Washington Post) in 1960s California whose career takes a detour when she becomes the unlikely star of a beloved TV cooking show. • APPLE TV+ SERIES COMING LATER THIS YEAR
Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki
ISBN: 9781250789068
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
2022 Stonewall Book Award Winner
Shizuka Satomi made a deal with the devil: to escape damnation, she must entice seven other violin prodigies to trade their souls for success. She has already delivered six.
When Katrina Nguyen, a young transgender runaway, catches Shizuka's ear with her wild talent, Shizuka can almost feel the curse lifting. She's found her final candidate...
Lone Women by Victor LaValle
Call Number: FIC LAV
ISBN: 9780525512080
Publication Date: 2023-03-28
Blue skies, empty land—and enough wide-open space to hide a horrifying secret. A woman with a past, a mysterious trunk, a town on the edge of nowhere, and an “absorbing, powerful” (BuzzFeed) new vision of the American West, from the award-winning author of The Changeling.
The Memory Librarian by Janelle Monáe
ISBN: 9780063070875
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
New York Times bestseller!I Singer-songwriter, actor, fashion icon, activist, and worldwide superstar Janelle Monáe brings to the written page the Afrofuturistic world of one of her critically acclaimed albums, exploring how different threads of liberation—queerness, race, gender plurality, and love—become tangled with future possibilities of memory and time...
Of Women and Salt by Gabriela Garcia
Call Number: FIC GAR
ISBN: 9781250776686
Publication Date: 2021-03-30
A sweeping, masterful debut about a daughter's fateful choice, a mother motivated by her own past, and a family legacy that begins in Cuba before either of them were born.
Olga Dies Dreaming by Xochitl Gonzalez
ISBN: 9781250786173
Publication Date: 2022-01-04
Set against the backdrop of New York City in the months surrounding the most devastating hurricane in Puerto Rico’s history, Xochitl Gonzalez’s Olga Dies Dreaming is a story that examines political corruption, familial strife, and the very notion of the American dream—all while asking what it really means to weather a storm.
One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston
ISBN: 9781250244499
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
From the New York Times bestselling author of Red, White & Royal Blue comes a new romantic comedy that will stop readers in their tracks.
The Orphanage by Serhiy Zhadan; Reilly Costigan-Humes (Translator); Isaac Stackhouse Wheeler (Translator)
ISBN: 9780300243017
Publication Date: 2021-02-23
A devastating story of the struggle of civilians caught up in the conflict in eastern Ukraine.
Chosen as one of "Six Books to Read for Context on Ukraine" by the New York Times
Selected by Publishers Weekly as one of the "20 Best Books of 2021"
Our Missing Hearts by Celeste Ng
Call Number: FIC NG
ISBN: 9780593492543
Publication Date: 2022-10-04
From the #1 bestselling author of Little Fires Everywhere, comes the inspiring new novel about a mother’s unbreakable love.
Piranesi by Susanna Clarke
ISBN: 9781635577808
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
For readers of Neil Gaiman's The Ocean at the End of the Lane and fans of Madeline Miller's Circe, Piranesi introduces an astonishing new world, an infinite labyrinth, full of startling images and surreal beauty, haunted by the tides and the clouds.
Recitatif by Toni Morrison; Zadie Smith (Introduction by)
ISBN: 9780593315033
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - A beautiful, arresting story about race and the relationships that shape us through life by the legendary Nobel Prize winner--for the first time in a beautifully produced stand-alone edition, with an introduction by Zadie Smith.
River Sing Me Home by Eleanor Shearer
Call Number: FIC SHE
ISBN: 9780593548042
Publication Date: 2023-01-31
This beautiful, page-turning and redemptive story of a mother’s gripping journey across the Caribbean to find her stolen children and piece her family back together is a “celebration of motherhood and female resilience” (The Observer).
The Sentence by Louise Erdrich
ISBN: 9780062671127
Publication Date: 2021-11-09
In this New York Times bestselling novel, Pulitzer Prize and National Book Award–winning author Louise Erdrich creates a wickedly funny ghost story, a tale of passion, of a complex marriage, and of a woman's relentless errors.
Sisters in Arms by Kaia Alderson
ISBN: 9780062964588
Publication Date: 2021-08-03
Kaia Alderson's debut historical fiction novel reveals the untold, true story of the Six Triple Eight, the only all-Black battalion of the Women's Army Corps, who made the dangerous voyage to Europe to ensure American servicemen received word from their loved ones during World War II.
Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow by Gabrielle Zevin
Call Number: FIC ZEV
ISBN: 9780593321201
Publication Date: 2022-07-05
NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER • Sam and Sadie—two college friends, often in love, but never lovers—become creative partners in a dazzling and intricately imagined world of video game design, where success brings them fame, joy, tragedy, duplicity, and, ultimately, a kind of immortality. It is a love story, but not one you have read before.
Transcendent Kingdom by Yaa Gyasi
Call Number: FIC GYA
ISBN: 9781984899767
Publication Date: 2021-07-06
NATIONAL BESTSELLER • Yaa Gyasi's stunning follow-up to her acclaimed novel Homegoing is "a book of blazing brilliance" (The Washington Post)—a powerful, raw, intimate, deeply layered novel about a Ghanaian family in Alabama.
Violeta by Isabel Allende; Frances Riddle (Translator)
ISBN: 9780593496206
Publication Date: 2022-01-25
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER - This sweeping novel from the author of A Long Petal of the Sea tells the epic story of Violeta Del Valle, a woman whose life spans one hundred years and bears witness to the greatest upheavals of the twentieth century.
The Violin Conspiracy by Brendan Slocumb
ISBN: 9780593315415
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
In this riveting page-turner, Ray McMillian is a Black classical musician on the rise--until a shocking theft sends him on a desperate quest to recover his lost family heirloom violin on the eve of the most prestigious musical competition in the world. Thriller!
Well-Behaved Indian Women by Saumya Dave
Call Number: FIC DAV
ISBN: 9781984806154
Publication Date: 2020-07-14
From a compelling new voice in women's fiction comes a mother-daughter story about three generations of women who struggle to define themselves as they pursue their dreams.
We Were the Lucky Ones by Georgia Hunter
ISBN: 9780399563096
Publication Date: 2018-01-02
The New York Times bestseller with more than 1 million copies sold worldwide
Inspired by the incredible true story of one Jewish family separated at the start of World War II, determined to survive--and to reunite--We Were the Lucky Ones is a tribute to the triumph of hope and love against all odds.
When Trying to Return Home by Jennifer Maritza McCauley
Call Number: SS MAR
ISBN: 9781640095687
Publication Date: 2023-02-07
A dazzling debut short story collection spanning a century of Black American and Afro-Latino life in Puerto Rico, Pittsburgh, Louisiana, Miami, and beyond--and an evocative meditation on belonging, the meaning of home, and how we secure freedom on our own terms.
When We Were Sisters by Fatimah Asghar
Call Number: FIC ASG
ISBN: 9780593133460
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
This heartrending, lyrical debut work of fiction traces the intense bond of three orphaned siblings who, after their parents die, are left to raise one another.
Yellowface by R. F. Kuang
Call Number: FIC KUA
ISBN: 9780063250833
Publication Date: 2023-05-16
White lies. Dark humor. Deadly consequences… Bestselling sensation Juniper Song is not who she says she is, she didn’t write the book she claims she wrote, and she is most certainly not Asian American—in this chilling and hilariously cutting novel from R.F. Kuang, the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Babel.

Poetry & Novels in Verse

Above Ground by Clint Smith
Call Number: 811 SMI
ISBN: 9780316543033
Publication Date: 2023-03-28
A remarkable poetry collection with "inextinguishable generosity and abundant wisdom" (Monica Youn) from Clint Smith, the #1 New York Times bestselling and National Book Critics Circle award-winning author of How the Word Is Passed.
An American Sunrise by Joy Harjo
Call Number: 811 HAR
ISBN: 9780393358483
Publication Date: 2020-08-18
(Available in SORA)
Build Yourself a Boat by Felix Camonghne
Call Number: 811 CAM
ISBN: 9781608466115
Publication Date: 2019-04-23
This is about what grows through the wreckage. This is an anthem of survival and a look at what might come after. A view of what floats and what, ultimately, sustains. Build Yourself a Boat redefines the language of collective and individual trauma through lyric and memory.
Call Me Athena by Colby Cedar Smith
Call Number: J FIC CED
ISBN: 9781524865603
Publication Date: 2021-08-17
This enchanting novel in verse captures one young woman’s struggle for independence, equality, and identity as the daughter of Greek and French immigrants in tumultuous 1930s Detroit.
Call Us What We Carry by Amanda Gorman
Call Number: 811 GOR
ISBN: 9780593465066
Publication Date: 2021-12-07
The breakout poetry collection by #1 New York Times bestselling author and presidential inaugural poet Amanda Gorman. YA
Deaf Republic by Ilya Kaminsky
ISBN: 9781555978310
Publication Date: 2019-03-05
Finalist for the National Book Award - Finalist for the PEN/Jean Stein Award - Finalist for the National Book Critics Circle Award - - Winner of the National Jewish Book Award - Finalist for the T. S. Eliot Prize - Finalist for the Forward Prize for Best Collection
Ilya Kaminsky's astonishing parable in poems asks us, What is silence?
Dear Medusa by Olivia A. Cole
Call Number: J FIC COL
ISBN: 9780593485736
Publication Date: 2023-03-14
This searing and intimate novel in verse follows a sixteen-year-old girl coping with sexual abuse as she grapples with how to reclaim her story, her anger, and her body in a world that seems determined to punish her for the sin of surviving.
Invasive Species by Marwa Helal
Call Number: 811 HEL
ISBN: 9781937658939
Publication Date: 2019-01-08
In Invasive species, Marwa Helal's searing politically charged poems touch on our collective humanity and build new pathways for empathy, etching themselves into memory. This work centers on urgent themes in our cultural landscape, creating space for unseen victims of discriminatory foreign (read: immigration) policy: migrants, refugees--the displaced.
Just Us by Claudia Rankine
Call Number: 811 RAN
ISBN: 9781644450215
Publication Date: 2020-09-08
As everyday white supremacy becomes increasingly vocalized with no clear answers at hand, how best might we approach one another? Claudia Rankine, without telling us what to do, urges us to begin the discussions that might open pathways through this divisive and stuck moment in American history.
My Baby First Birthday by Jenny Zhang
Call Number: 811 ZHA
ISBN: 9781947793811
Publication Date: 2020-05-12
Radiant and tender, My Baby First Birthday is a collection that examines innocence, asking us who gets to be loved and who has to deplete themselves just to survive. Jenny Zhang writes about accepting pain, about the way we fetishize womanhood and motherhood, and reduce women to their violations, traumas, and body parts.
One Last Shot: Based on a True Story of Wartime Heroism by Kip Wilson
Call Number: J FIC WIL
ISBN: 9780063251687
Publication Date: 2023-01-17
From critically acclaimed author Kip Wilson comes this gripping coming of age historical fiction novel in verse about Gerda Taro, a vibrant, headstrong photojournalist with a passion for capturing the truth amid political turmoil and the first woman photojournalist killed in combat.
Rain Scald by Tacey M. Atsitty
Call Number: 811 ATS
ISBN: 9780826358677
Publication Date: 2018-02-15
In this innovative debut collection, Tacey M. Atsitty employs traditional, lyric, and experimental verse to create an intricate landscape she invites readers to explore. Presented in three sections, Ts yi', Gorge Dweller, and T hee', the poems negotiate between belief and doubt, self and family, and interior and exterior landscapes.
Somebody Give This Heart a Pen by Sophia Thakur
Call Number: 821 THA
ISBN: 9781536209921
Publication Date: 2020-09-08
From acclaimed performance poet Sophia Thakur comes a stirring collection of coming-of-age poems exploring issues of identity, difference, perseverance, relationships, fear, loss, and joy.
Stones by Kevin Young
Call Number: 811 YOU
ISBN: 9781524732561
Publication Date: 2021-09-28
A book of loss, looking back, and what binds us to life, by a towering poetic talent, called "one of the poetry stars of his generation" (Los Angeles Times).
Such Color by Tracy K. Smith
ISBN: 9781644450673
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
Such Color collects the best poems from Smith's award-winning books and culminates in thirty pages of brilliant, excoriating new poems.
The World Keeps Ending, and the World Goes On by Franny Choi
Call Number: 811 CHO
ISBN: 9780063240087
Publication Date: 2022-11-01
From acclaimed poet Franny Choi comes a poetry collection for the ends of worlds—past, present, and future. Choi’s third book features poems about historical and impending apocalypses, alongside musings on our responsibilities to each other and visions for our collective survival.
Your Heart, My Sky by Margarita Engle
Call Number: J FIC ENG
ISBN: 9781534464971
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
Acclaimed author Margarita Engle tells a “deeply felt and engrossing” (Horn Book Magazine) story of love in a time of hunger inspired by her own family’s struggles during a dark period in Cuba’s history.

Local Independent Bookstores

The Children's Bookstore
Greedy Reads
The Ivy Bookshop
Support local booksellers by buying books from the Ivy and they will be shipped directly to you.
Mahogany Books
MahoganyBooks is a semi-local, Black-owned independent bookstore that believes in social entrepreneurship. Online orders are shipped from Washington, D.C.
Red Emma's Books
Due to the cororonavirus, Red Emma's worker owners have decided that the safest course of action is to temporarily completely close our space. We are not accepting take out or delivery orders for food, but we are still accepting and shipping online orders for books.

OverDrive

Sora for OverDrive

Non-fiction

The 57 Bus by Dashka Slater
Call Number: 364.15 Sla
ISBN: 9780374303235
Publication Date: 2017-10-17
(Available in SORA) One teenager in a skirt. One teenager with a lighter. One moment that changes both of their lives forever.
Acceptance by Emi Nietfeld
Call Number: BIO NIE
ISBN: 9780593489475
Publication Date: 2022-08-02
A luminous, generation-defining memoir of foster care and homelessness, Harvard and Big Tech, examining society’s fixation with resilience—and its cost.
Admissions by Kendra James
ISBN: 9781538753484
Publication Date: 2022-01-18
With its combination of incisive social critique and uproarious depictions of elite nonsense at boarding schools, ADMISSIONS will resonate with anyone who has ever been The Only One in a room, dealt with racial microaggressions, or even just suffered from an extreme case of homesickness.
The Anthropocene Reviewed (Signed Edition) by John Green
ISBN: 9780525555216
Publication Date: 2021-05-18
Goodreads Choice winner for Nonfiction 2021 and instant #1 bestseller! A deeply moving collection of personal essays from John Green, the author of The Fault in Our Stars and Turtles All the Way Down.
Apple by Eric Gansworth
Call Number: BIO GAN
ISBN: 9781646140138
Publication Date: 2020-10-06
(Available on SORA) In APPLE (SKIN TO THE CORE), Eric Gansworth tells his story, the story of his family—of Onondaga among Tuscaroras—of Native folks everywhere. From the horrible legacy of the government boarding schools, to a boy watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to a young man fighting to be an artist who balances multiple worlds. Eric shatters that slur ("apple") and reclaims it in verse and prose and imagery that truly lives up to the word heartbreaking.
Beautiful Country by Qian Julie Wang
ISBN: 9780385547215
Publication Date: 2021-09-07
A NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - The moving story of an undocumented child living in poverty in the richest country in the world--an incandescent debut from an astonishing new talent.
Benjamin Banneker and Us by Rachel Jamison Webster
Call Number: 306 JAM
ISBN: 9781250827302
Publication Date: 2023-03-21
A family reunion gives way to an unforgettable genealogical quest as relatives reconnect across lines of color, culture, and time, putting the past into urgent conversation with the present.
Better Living Through Birding by Christian Cooper
Call Number: 598.072 COO
ISBN: 9780593242384
Publication Date: 2023-06-13
Central Park birder Christian Cooper takes us beyond the viral video that shocked a nation and into a world of avian adventures, global excursions, and the unexpected lessons you can learn from a life spent looking up.
Black Joy by Tracey Michae'l Lewis-Giggetts
ISBN: 9781982176556
Publication Date: 2022-02-01
With deeply personal and uplifting essays in the vein of Black Girls Rock, You Are Your Best Thing, and I Really Needed This Today, this is "a necessary testimony on the magic and beauty of our capacity to live and love fully and out loud" (Kerry Washington).
Body Language by Nicole Chung (Editor); Matt Ortile (Editor)
Call Number: 808.84 BOD
ISBN: 9781646221318
Publication Date: 2022-07-12
A kaleidoscopic anthology of essays published by Catapult magazine about the stories our bodies tell, and how we move within—and against—expectations of race, gender, health, and ability.
Braiding Sweetgrass for Young Adults by Robin Wall Kimmerer; Monique Gray Smith; Nicole Neidhardt (Illustrator)
Call Number: 305.8 GRA
ISBN: 9781728458991
Publication Date: 2022-11-01
Drawing from her experiences as an Indigenous scientist, botanist Robin Wall Kimmerer demonstrated how all living things--from strawberries and witch hazel to water lilies and lichen--provide us with gifts and lessons every day in her best-selling book Braiding Sweetgrass. Adapted for young adults by Monique Gray Smith, this new edition reinforces how wider ecological understanding stems from listening to the earth's oldest teachers: the plants around us.
Breaking the Mold by Dana Alison Levy (Contribution by)
Call Number: 509.2 LEV
ISBN: 9780823449712
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
Celebrated author Dana Alison Levy profiles 16 people, all studying different elements of the earth’s landscape, animals, and climate, who defy stereotypes of who can be a scientist.
The Chaos Machine by Max Fisher
Call Number: 302.23 FIS
ISBN: 9780316703321
Publication Date: 2022-09-06
From a New York Times investigative reporter, this “authoritative and devastating account of the impacts of social media” (New York Times Book Review) tracks the high-stakes inside story of how Big Tech’s breakneck race to drive engagement—and profits—at all costs fractured the world. The Chaos Machine is “an essential book for our times” (Ezra Klein).
Consumed by Aja Barber
Call Number: 306.3 BAR
ISBN: 9781538709849
Publication Date: 2021-10-05
A call to action for consumers everywhere, Consumed asks us to look at how and why we buy what we buy, how it's created, who it benefits, and how we can solve the problems created by a wasteful system.
Crafting Change by Jessica Vitkus
Call Number: 745.5 VIT
ISBN: 9780374313326
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
An informative and inspiring exploration of craftivism — the intersection of handicraft and activism — designed to encourage young creators while providing meaningful historical context.
Crying in H Mart by Michelle Zauner
ISBN: 9780525657743
Publication Date: 2021-04-20
A NEW YORK TIMES NOTABLE BOOK OF THE YEAR - NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLER - From the indie rockstar of Japanese Breakfast fame, and author of the viral 2018 New Yorker essay that shares the title of this book, an unflinching, powerful memoir about growing up Korean American, losing her mother, and forging her own identity.
Days of Infamy: How a Century of Bigotry Led to Japanese American Internment (Scholastic Focus) by Lawrence Goldstone
Call Number: 341.6 GOL
ISBN: 9781338722468
Publication Date: 2022-06-07
In another unrelenting look at the iniquities of the American justice system, Lawrence Goldstone, acclaimed author of Unpunished Murder, Stolen Justice, and Separate No More, examines the history of racism against Japanese Americans, exploring the territory of citizenship and touching on fears of non-white immigration to the US -- with hauntingly contemporary echoes.
Empress of the Nile by Lynne Olson (Contribution by)
Call Number: BIO DES
ISBN: 9780525509479
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
The remarkable story of the intrepid French archaeologist who led the international effort to save ancient Egyptian temples from the floodwaters of the Aswan Dam, by the New York Times bestselling author of Madame Fourcade’s Secret War.
The Escape Artist by Jonathan Freedland
Call Number: 940.53 FRE
ISBN: 9780063112339
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
Award-winning journalist and bestselling novelist Jonathan Freedland tells the astonishing true story of Rudolf Vrba, the man who broke out of Auschwitz to warn the world of a truth too few were willing to hear.
A Face for Picasso by Ariel Henley
ISBN: 9780374314071
Publication Date: 2021-11-02
Using the life and work of Picasso as a framing device, debut memoirist Henley-a white woman born with Crouzon syndrome, a rare "craniofacial condition where the bones in the head don’t grow"-writes about "beauty through a lens of disfigurement."
Fatty Fatty Boom Boom by Rabia Chaudry
Call Number: BIO CHA
ISBN: 9781643750385
Publication Date: 2022-11-08
Rabia Chaudry serves up a candid and intimate memoir about food, body image, and growing up in a tight knit but sometimes overly concerned Pakistani immigrant family.
Good for a Girl by Lauren Fleshman
Call Number: 796.42 FLE
ISBN: 9780593296783
Publication Date: 2023-01-10
Fueled by her years as an elite runner and advocate for women in sports, Lauren Fleshman offers her inspiring personal story and a rallying cry for reform of a sports landscape that is failing young female athletes.
Here's the Deal by Kellyanne Conway
ISBN: 9781982187347
Publication Date: 2022-05-24
Among the Trump era’s savviest insiders, one name stands especially tall: Kellyanne.
Here for It by R. Eric Thomas
ISBN: 9780525621034
Publication Date: 2020-02-18
Here for It will resonate deeply and joyfully with everyone who has ever felt pushed to the margins, struggled with self-acceptance, or wished to shine more brightly in a dark world. Stay here for it—the future may surprise you.
I Am Debra Lee by Debra Lee
Call Number: BIO LEE
ISBN: 9780306828591
Publication Date: 2023-03-07
A riveting memoir by the former CEO of Black Entertainment Television (BET), about the glamorous and ugly moments of being a high-powered Black woman executive in the entertainment industry.
The Intersectional Environmentalist by Leah Thomas
ISBN: 9780316279291
Publication Date: 2022-03-08
From the activist who coined the term "Intersectional Environmentalist" comes a primer on intersectional environmentalism for the next generation of activists looking to create meaningful, inclusive, and sustainable change.
Jane Against the World by Karen Blumenthal
ISBN: 9781626721654
Publication Date: 2020-02-25
Tracing the path to the landmark decision in Roe v. Wade and the continuing battle for women's rights, Blumenthal examines, in a straightforward tone, the root causes of the current debate around abortion and repercussions that have affected generations of American women.
Just Mercy (Adapted for Young Adults) by Bryan Stevenson
Call Number: BIO STE
ISBN: 9780525580034
Publication Date: 2018-09-18
(Available in SORA) "Bryan Stevenson details from his personal experience his many challenges and efforts as a lawyer and social advocate, especially on behalf of America's most marginalized people"--Provided by publisher. YA
The Language of Butterflies by Wendy Williams
Call Number: 595.78 WIL
ISBN: 9781501178061
Publication Date: 2020-06-02
In this fascinating book from the New York Times bestselling author of The Horse, Wendy Williams explores the lives of one of the world’s most resilient creatures—the butterfly—shedding light on the role that they play in our ecosystem and in our human lives.
Loaded by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Call Number: 323.4 DUN
ISBN: 9780872867239
Publication Date: 2018-01-23
Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz's Loaded is like a blast of fresh air. She is no fan of guns or of our absurdly permissive laws surrounding them. But she does not merely take the liberal side of the familiar debate.--Adam Hochschild, The New York Review of Books
Loved Clothes Last by Orsola De Castro
Call Number: 646 DEC
ISBN: 9780241461150
Publication Date: 2022-05-01
The ultimate guide from Fashion Revolution activist Orsola de Castro on how to love, mend and repair your clothes in the fight against fast fashion.
Madame Restell by Jennifer Wright
Call Number: 363 WRI
ISBN: 9780306826795
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
Thought-provoking, character-driven, boldly written, and feminist as hell, Madame Restell is required reading for anyone and everyone who believes that when it comes to women’s rights, women’s bodies, and women’s history, women should have the last word.
Master Slave Husband Wife by Ilyon Woo
Call Number: 306.3 WOO
ISBN: 9781501191053
Publication Date: 2023-01-17
New York Times Bestseller! The remarkable true story of Ellen and William Craft, who escaped slavery through daring, determination, and disguise, with Ellen passing as a wealthy, disabled White man and William posing as “his” slave.
Minor Feelings by Cathy Park Hong
ISBN: 9781984820365
Publication Date: 2020-02-25
A ruthlessly honest, emotionally charged, and utterly original exploration of Asian American consciousness and the struggle to be human.
A Most Beautiful Thing by Arshay Cooper
ISBN: 9781250754769
Publication Date: 2020-06-30
The moving true story of a group of young men growing up on Chicago's West side who form the first all-Black high school rowing team in the nation, and in doing so not only transform a sport, but their lives.
On Top of Glass by Karina Manta
ISBN: 9780593308462
Publication Date: 2021-10-19
An insightful memoir from a figure skating champion about her life as a bisexual professional athlete, perfect for readers of Fierce by Aly Raisman and Forward by Abby Wambach.
Ordinary Girls by Jaquira Díaz
ISBN: 9781616209131
Publication Date: 2019-10-29
In this searing memoir, Jaquira Díaz writes fiercely and eloquently of her challenging girlhood and triumphant coming of age.
The Other Talk by Brendan Kiely; Jason Reynolds (Introduction by)
ISBN: 9781534494046
Publication Date: 2021-09-21
Award-winning and New York Times bestselling author Brendan Kiely starts a conversation with white kids about race in this "well-executed and long overdue" (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) introduction to white privilege and why allyship is so vital.
Poison Ivy by Evan Mandery
Call Number: 378.73 MAN
ISBN: 9781620976951
Publication Date: 2022-10-25
An eye-opening look at how America's elite colleges and suburbs help keep the rich rich--making it harder than ever to fight the inequality dividing us today"--Provided by publisher.
Poverty, by America by Matthew Desmond
Call Number: 362.5 DES
ISBN: 9780593239919
Publication Date: 2023-03-21
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Evicted reimagines the debate on poverty, making a “provocative and compelling” (NPR) argument about why it persists in America: because the rest of us benefit from it.
Queer Ducks (and Other Animals) by Eliot Schrefer; Jules Zuckerberg (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780063069497
Publication Date: 2022-05-24
This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in animals.
Shine Bright by Danyel Smith
Call Number: BIO SMI
ISBN: 9780593132715
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
American pop music is arguably this country’s greatest cultural contribution to the world, and its singular voice and virtuosity were created by a shining thread of Black women geniuses stretching back to the country’s founding. This is their surprising, heartbreaking, soaring story—from “one of the generation’s greatest, most insightful, most nuanced writers in pop culture” (Shea Serrano)
Solito by Javier Zamora
Call Number: BIO ZAM
ISBN: 9780593498064
Publication Date: 2022-09-06
A young poet tells the inspiring story of his migration from El Salvador to the United States at the age of nine in this “gripping memoir” (NPR) of bravery, hope, and finding family.
The Sum of Us (Adapted for Young Readers) by Heather McGhee (Contribution by)
Call Number: 305.8 MCG
ISBN: 9780593562628
Publication Date: 2023-02-21
The New York Times bestseller, now adapted for a new generation of young readers, leaders, thinkers, and activists. A groundbreaking call to action that examines how racism affects and harms all of us and how we need to face it head-on, together.
White Fragility (Adapted for Young Adults) by Robin DiAngelo; Toni Graves Williamson (Adapted by); Ali Michael (Adapted by)
Call Number: 305.8 DIA
ISBN: 9780807016091
Publication Date: 2022-09-13
A reimagining of the best-selling book that gives young adults the tools to ask questions, engage in dialogue, challenge their ways of thinking, and take action to create a more racially just world.
Work with What You Got: a Memoir by Zion Clark (Contribution by); James S. Hirsch (Contribution by)
Call Number: BIO CLA
ISBN: 9781536224214
Publication Date: 2023-04-11
Elite wheelchair racer and wrestler Zion Clark joins with New York Times best-selling author James S. Hirsch for a stunning memoir—recounting childhood adversity, awe-inspiring perseverance, and self-invention.
You Gotta Be You by Brandon Kyle Goodman
Call Number: 158.1 GOO
ISBN: 9780306826191
Publication Date: 2022-09-27
Compassionate and soulful, funny and revealing, You Gotta Be You is an unapologetic call to self-freedom. It’s about turning rejection (from others and yourself) into a roadmap to self-love. It’s a guide to setting boundaries and fostering self-growth. And most importantly, it’s an affirmation that we are enough exactly as we are.
The Exceptions by Kate Zernike (Contribution by)
Call Number: 331.4 ZEM
ISBN: 9781982131838
Publication Date: 2023-02-28
From the Pulitzer Prize–winning journalist who broke the story, the inspiring account of the sixteen female scientists who forced MIT to publicly admit it had been discriminating against its female faculty for years—sparking a nationwide reckoning with the pervasive sexism in science.

Graphic Novels

The Black Panther Party by David F. Walker; Marcus Kwame Anderson (Illustrator)
Call Number: 741.5 WAL
ISBN: 9781984857705
Publication Date: 2021-01-19
A bold and fascinating graphic novel history of the revolutionary Black Panther Party.
Displacement by Kiku Hughes
Call Number: 741.5 HUG
ISBN: 9781250193544
Publication Date: 2020-08-18
A teenager is pulled back in time to witness her grandmother's experiences in World War II-era Japanese internment camps in Displacement, a historical graphic novel from Kiku Hughes.
Huda F Are You? by Huda Fahmy (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9780593324318
Publication Date: 2021-11-23
This cheeky, hilarious, and honest graphic novel asks the question everyone has to figure out for themselves: Who are you? YA
The Keeper by Kelcey Ervick
Call Number: 741.5 ERV
ISBN: 9780593539187
Publication Date: 2022-10-04
A beautifully illustrated coming-of-age graphic memoir chronicling how sports shaped one young girl’s life and changed women’s history forever.
The Magic Fish by Trung Le Nguyen
Call Number: 741.5 TRU
ISBN: 9781984851598
Publication Date: 2020-10-13
Real life isn't a fairytale. But Tiến still enjoys reading his favorite stories with his parents from the books he borrows from the local library. It's hard enough trying to communicate with your parents as a kid, but for Tiến, he doesn't even have the right words because his parents are struggling with their English. Is there a Vietnamese word for what he's going through? Is there a way to tell them he's gay?
Mamo by Sas Milledge
Call Number: 741.5 MIL
ISBN: 9781684158171
Publication Date: 2022-04-19
This immersive tale of magic, secrets, and cooperation is set in lush, luminescent, and sun-dappled artwork that cultivates a vivid sense of place. This place is key to the folk magic the queer protagonists, Orla and Jo, must decipher. Orla, especially, wrestles with the unusual nature of her own magical skills and her troubling upbring with Mamo, a controlling woman who didn’t appreciate or value her granddaughter’s differences.
Maybe an Artist, a Graphic Memoir by Liz Montague
Call Number: 741.5 MON
ISBN: 9780593307816
Publication Date: 2022-10-18
A heartfelt and funny graphic novel memoir from one of the first Black female cartoonists to be published in the New Yorker, when she was just 22 years old.
Messy Roots: a Graphic Memoir of a Wuhanese American by Laura Gao (Illustrator)
Call Number: 741.5 GAO
ISBN: 9780063067776
Publication Date: 2022-03-08
“Messy Roots is a laugh-out-loud, heartfelt, and deeply engaging story of their journey to find themself--as an American, as the daughter of Chinese immigrants, as a queer person, and as a Wuhanese American in the middle of a pandemic.”—Malaka Gharib, author of I Was Their American Dream
M Is for Monster by Talia Dutton
Call Number: 741.5 DUT
ISBN: 9781419762208
Publication Date: 2022-06-28
A scientist attempts to bring her younger sister back to life with unexpected results in this Frankenstein-inspired graphic novel about ghosts, identity, and family.
Now Let Me Fly by Ronald Wimberly; Brahm Revel (Illustrator)
Call Number: 741.5 WIM
ISBN: 9781626728523
Publication Date: 2023-01-03
From author Ronald Wimberly, creator of the viral comic Lighten Up, comes a soaring graphic biography that casts new light on the first African-American fighter pilot.
Over My Dead Body by Sweeney Boo (Illustrator)
Call Number: 741.5 BOO
ISBN: 9780063056312
Publication Date: 2022-08-30
In this bewitching graphic novel, it’s up to Abigail to uncover what lurks in the woods before it’s too late.
Radium Girls by Cy
ISBN: 9781945820991
Publication Date: 2022-07-05
It's 1918 in Orange, New Jersey, and everyone knows the "Ghost Girls." A stunning graphic novel retelling of the shocking and inspiring true story of radium poisoning.
Victory. Stand! by Tommie Smith; Derrick Barnes
Call Number: 741.5 SMI
ISBN: 9781324052159
Publication Date: 2022-09-27
In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest.
Wake by Rebecca Hall; Hugo Martínez (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781982115180
Publication Date: 2021-06-01
A Best Book of 2021 by NPR and The Washington Post
Part graphic novel, part memoir, Wake is an imaginative tour-de-force that tells the "powerful" (The New York Times Book Review) story of women-led slave revolts and chronicles scholar Rebecca Hall's efforts to uncover the truth about these women warriors who, until now, have been left out of the historical record.
Whistle: a New Gotham City Hero by E. Lockhart; Manuel Preitano (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781401293222
Publication Date: 2021-09-07
Meet DC’s newest superhero: a Jewish social activist who loves dogs. Origin story 101: a difficult backstory (Willow’s mother has cancer and they can’t afford treatment); the onset of powers (a Killer Croc attack somehow makes Willow able to communicate with the stray dog she’s befriended); the moral quandary (Willow’s financial savior is her mother’s estranged friend E. Nigma, better known to DC fans as the Riddler); and finally, the decision to take on a secret identity (the titular Whistle).
Why She Wrote by Lauren Burke; Hannah K. Chapman; Kaley Bales (Illustrator)
ISBN: 9781797202099
Publication Date: 2021-04-20
This compelling graphic collection features 18 women--including Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Alice Dunbar Nelson, Anne Lister, and more--and asks a simple question: in a time when being a woman writer often meant being undervalued, overlooked, or pigeonholed, why did she write?