Staff Picks

Citizen Illegal

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Citizen Illegal (Paperback)

By Jose Olivarez
$16.00
ISBN: 9781608469543
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Haymarket Books - September 4th, 2018

 

National Hispanic Heritage Month kicks off in September! Celebrate it by picking up this devastating, thought-provoking, brimming-with-love collection by Mexican-American poet José Olivarez. Pick it up right now & read any poem at random for a taste (I recommend pg 59 but they're all wonderful).

Kate

The Education of an Idealist

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The Education of an Idealist: A Memoir (Hardcover)

By Samantha Power
$29.99
ISBN: 9780062820693
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Dey Street Books - September 10th, 2019

 

Power, well-known for her earlier Pulitzer Prize winning book on genocide A Problem from Hell ,  gives us a compelling memoir chronicling her life becoming a tireless human rights advocate first as a journalist and vocal critic of government policy, then through her service as presidential adviser, and finally her appointment as U.N Ambassador, struggling to make a difference by bringing a moral dimension to American foreign policy.

Dale

Albert's Quiet Quest

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Albert's Quiet Quest (Hardcover)

By Isabelle Arsenault
$17.99
ISBN: 9780553536560
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers - June 4th, 2019

 

In this lovely picture book, Albert just wants a peaceful place to read. Albert's neighborhood friends have other ideas. Is it possible to have solitude with people? Featuring the same neighborhood children as Colette's Lost Pet, Arsenault's picture book series is a sweet successor of Sendak's Nutshell Library gang, and a welcome addition to picture book shelves.

Marika

Tiger vs. Nightmare

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Tiger vs. Nightmare (Hardcover)

By Emily Tetri, Emily Tetri (Illustrator)
$17.99
ISBN: 9781626725355
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: First Second - November 6th, 2018

 

Nightmares are bad, but Tiger doesn’t have to worry about that. The Monster under her bed is her best friend and scares them all away. Until one comes that’s so big and scary that even Monster is frightened. Only friendship and teamwork can save the day now!

Shana

Frankly in Love

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Frankly in Love (Hardcover)

By David Yoon
$18.99
ISBN: 9781984812209
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - September 10th, 2019

 

Two friends know their traditional-minded parents won't approve of their non-Korean love interests, so they pretend to date each other to take the heat off. What could go wrong? What seems like a simple premise is the vehicle for a hilarious, moving, and surprising exploration of growing up second generation American, realizing your parents are only human, and finding yourself along the way. With its playful use of language and relatable characters, this book is frankly easy to fall in love with.

Leila

The Downstairs Girl

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The Downstairs Girl (Hardcover)

By Stacey Lee
$17.99
ISBN: 9781524740955
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - August 13th, 2019

 

Atlanta, 1890. By day, Jo Kuan works as a lady's maid. By night, she writes a newspaper advice column under the name Miss Sweetie. But when her column challenges fixed ideas about race and gender, she isn't prepared for the backlash. Rich with historical detail and a compelling heroine. Stacey Lee is one of the best YA historical fiction authors writing today!

Rebecca

Merciful Crow

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The Merciful Crow (The Merciful Crow Series #1) (Hardcover)

By Margaret Owen
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250191922
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Henry Holt and Co. (BYR) - July 30th, 2019

 

The inside of this book is as beautiful as the outside! I quickly found myself drawn head over heels into the rich world of Margaret Owen's debut; it's so lived-in that it's hard not to be! There's not much better than finding such a fresh, magical fantasy to sink your teeth into.

Caleb

Get In Trouble

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Get in Trouble: Stories (Paperback)

By Kelly Link
$17.00
ISBN: 9780812986495
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Random House Trade Paperbacks - February 9th, 2016

 

My favorites in this collection are The Summer People, The Lesson, and The New Boyfriend, but they're all fantastic (and fantastical), with strong female leads to boot.  Kelly Link has a wacky, clever, bizarre imagination. Perfect for curling up with during the next thunderstorm.

 

Catherine, Writer in Residence for Adults

Shatter the Sky

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Shatter the Sky (The Shatter the Sky Duology) (Hardcover)

By Rebecca Kim Wells
$18.99
ISBN: 9781534437906
Availability: On Our Shelves Now
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - July 30th, 2019

 

I wish I could live in the world Rebecca Kim Wells has built in SHATTER THE SKY. This book has it all: adventure; intrigue; a culture that accepts queerness without question; a protagonist who is clever, practical, determined, and impossible not to love. And, of course, DRAGONS!

Kate

 

The only thing that would make me love this book more is if it had been published 15 years ago so I could have read it over and over again as a teenager.

Shana

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