Children fiction book, and e-book. It is 1983 and Vanessa Martin, a thirteen-year-old African American girl in Newark's public housing, dreams of following in the footsteps of the first black Miss America, Vanessa Williams; but the odds are against her until a new teacher at school organizes a beauty pageant and encourages Vanessa to enter. Grade: 5+
Child fiction book, e-book, and e-audiobook. It is 1983 and Vanessa Martin, a thirteen-year-old African American girl in Newark's public housing, dreams of following in the footsteps of the first black Miss America, Vanessa Williams; but the odds are against her until a new teacher at school organizes a beauty pageant and encourages Vanessa to enter. Age: 10+
Co-author: Mary Beth Leatherdale "Whether looking back to a troubled past or welcoming a hopeful future, the powerful voices of Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. In the same style as the best-selling Dreaming in Indian, #Not Your Princess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. Stories of abuse, humiliation, and stereotyping are countered by the voices of passionate women making themselves heard and demanding change. Sometimes angry, often reflective, but always strong, the women in this book will give teen readers insight into the lives of women who, for so long, have been virtually invisible."-- Provided by publisher
Adult comedy - PG13. Christmas is the perfect season for Clark Griswold and his family. Clark's a disaster waiting to happen. You have to see it to believe it. There are 25,000 lights on the Griswold rooftop. An exploding turkey. And a house full of relatives.
Child fiction book. “When best friends Metai and Jamila are reunited after a summer apart, their friendship threatens to combust from the pressure of secrets, middle school, and looming auditions for a potentially life-changing new talented-and-gifted program."-- Provided by publisher. Age: 10-13.
In Farrago Bay, Australia, thirteen-year-old Sheldon is recruited by a new student, Theo Brain, to help investigate a murder, which is tied not only to bizarre animal behavior but also to a diabolical plot to alter human intelligence.
Child picture book. A Chinese American girl puts her goldfish into a fish pond that she creates and borders with chrysanthemums in order to remind her grandmother of the fish pond she had back in China. Age: 3-9.
Coming home from her independent city life, a young woman rediscovers childlike wonder and comfort at her grandmother's house.
Child picture book, e-book, and e-audiobook. A little girl's daddy steps in to help her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self. Age: 3-8.
Child fiction book. First in the Cross Ups series. Twelve-year-old Jaden loves to play his favorite video game Cross Ups, but has to hide his gaming from his disapproving mom. When an epic match wins him a chance to play in a tournament, Jaden and his friend Devesh hatch a plan to get him there. His strict parents, annoying siblings, bullies, and his growing interest in neighbor Cali, keep getting in his way. Age: 8-12.
Child picture book. Text in Ojibwe and English. “When Uncle and Windy Girl attend a powwow, Windy watches the dancers and listens to the singers. She eats tasty food and joins family and friends around the campfire. Later, Windy falls asleep under the stars. Uncle's stories inspire visions in her head: a bowwow powwow, where all the dancers are dogs.” —Provided by publisher. Age: 3-7.
Lola does not ever never want her wobbly tooth to fall out until she learns that the Tooth Fairy will leave money in place of a lost tooth.
Child picture book. Sam must decide how to spend the lucky money he's received for Chinese New Year. Age: 3-9.
"In a time when crossing guards are posted to prevent high schoolers from jumping in front of trains and parents shelling out $100K for packaged college applications, education has become a mad race to grab the Ivy ring. Based on experience in admissions with the Ivy League and other highly competitive universities, emerging scientific evidence on the impact of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, and discussions with admissions officers, students, families, and high school counselors, this book is a guide on how to go through the existing, however brutish, college applications process with less stress and anxiety, and more joy and mindfulness. Equipped with the powerful tools of emotional intelligence and mindfulness, this work acknowledges the reality of what the process is, and challenges young people to reach for a more meaningful ideal for themselves. This book shares a look at the holistic admissions process and offers an alternative one to the current climate of untenable stress. This updated model aims to shift mindsets from treating the admissions process as a ruthless competition with one externally-prescribed definition of success, to a step in a lifelong journey of curiosity and wonder. By building self-awareness, compassion, resilience, it's possible to navigate the process with greater authenticity, balance, and joy."
After shunning Jaime, the school nerd, on her first day at a new middle school, Penelope Torres tries to blend in with her new friends in the art club, until the art club goes to war with the science club, of which Jaime is a member.
We live in difficult times. Life sometimes seems like a roiling and turbulent river threatening to drown us and destroy the world. Why, then, shouldn't we cling to the certainty of the shore--to our familiar patterns and habits? Because, Pema Chödrön teaches, that kind of fear-based clinging keeps us from the infinitely more satisfying experience of being fully alive. The teachings she presents here--known as the 'Three Commitments'--provide a wealth of wisdom for learning to step right into the river: to be completely, fearlessly present even in the hardest times, the most difficult situations. When we learn to let go of our protective patterns and do that, we begin to see not only how much better it feels to live that way, but, as a wonderful side effect, we find that we begin to naturally and effectively reach out to others in care and support.
Child picture book, and e-book. After Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, her new classmates help her decide what her name should be. Age: 4-8.
Child Picture Book:
When Unhei moves from Korea to the United States, her grandmother gives her a special stamp with her beautiful name on it. When her new American classmates want to know her name, Unhei isn't sure that she should use her true Korean name and a jar is used to collect names to help her decide what her name should be. This gentle story reflects the immigrant's need for identity and friendship.
Child fiction book, e-book, and e-audiobook. The first in the Pandava series. Twelve-year-old Aru stretches the truth to fit in at her private school, but when she is dared to prove an ancient lamp is cursed, she inadvertently frees an ancient demon. Age: 9-12.
Child fiction book, e-book, and audiobook on cd. A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister.
Child fiction book, e-book, audiobook on CD, and e-audiobook. A twelve-year-old boy named Moose moves to Alcatraz Island in 1935 when guards' families were housed there, and has to contend with his extraordinary new environment in addition to life with his autistic sister. Grade: 5+
Eleven-year-old Ant, stuck in a family that she does not like, copes by pretending that her "real" parents are coming to rescue her, by loving her dog Pistachio, by volunteering at the zoo, and by bending the truth and telling lies.
Child fiction book. In 1939, after cruel treatment at her orphanage renders her mute, Lucy runs away and joins the circus, working with the elephants and unaware that the orphanage matrons are hunting for her. Grade: 4+
Child picture book. When a girl in a wheelchair calls to people far below to look up and see her, one finds a way to brighten her day. Age: 5-8.
This picture book is based on the nursery rhyme, Five Little Monkeys Jumping on the Bed.
Ten house guests, trapped on an isolated island, are the prey of a diabolical killer. A famous nursery rhyme is framed and hung in every room of the mansion: Ten little Indian boys went out to dine; One choked his little self and then there were nine ... When they realize that murders are occurring as described in the rhyme, terror mounts. Who has choreographed this dastardly scheme? And who will be left to tell the tale?
"Eleven-year-old cousins who are closer than most brothers, catcher Liam McCarthy and pitcher Carter Jones grew up playing baseball together. Now, their team is on the verge of winning the greatest championship of all: the Little League Baseball World Series. To reach the title match, however, they must first beat their number one rivals from Southern California. Little do they know that the game will prove to be just the first challenge they'll face on their road to the championships"-- publisher.
Book 1 in Little League series
Adult nonfiction. Nicole Chung investigates the mysteries and complexities of her transracial adoption. Told with startling insight, All You Can Ever Know is a profound and moving chronicle of unexpected family for anyone who has struggled to figure out where they belong.
Child fiction book, e-book, and e-audiobook. While his father works two jobs, seventh-grader Efrén Nava must take care of his twin siblings, kindergartners Max and Mia, after their mother is deported to Mexico. Includes glossary of Spanish words. Age: 9+
"The House on Mango Street is the remarkable story of Esperanza Cordero, a young Latina girl growing up in Chicago, inventing for herself who and what she will become. Told in a series of vignettes-sometimes heartbreaking, sometimes deeply joyous-Sandra Cisneros' masterpiece is a classic story of childhood and self-discovery. Few other books in our time have touched so many readers."
Telling a story about pigeons should be simple. But what's a narrator to do when the number of feathered friends is constantly changing? Can our intrepid storyteller use math facts to keep up with the unstable quantities...or is this pigeon-centric tale doomed?
"Boo is new--and it can be scary being new, especially for a shy ghost who can't play any of the other kids' games. Can Boo find a way to fit in and make friends with the rest of the group?"-- Book jacket.
The first installment of Cassandra Clare's bestselling urban fantasy series, The Mortal Instruments, is adapted into a graphic novel series
Hanging out with her best friend, Simon, is just about the most exciting thing in Clary's life...that is, until she realizes there are people only she can see. But when her mother disappears and a monster attacks her, Clary has to embrace a world that she never even knew existed--a world full of vampires, werewolves, demons, and those who fight for the humans, Shadowhunters...
Adult comedy - PG. A young boy must convince his parents that a toy rifle is the only Christmas gift that will make Christmas worthwhile. Not only do his parents face what many other parents do during that time of the year, but their actions fit in with the All-American Christmas. This version stars: Melinda Dillon, Darren McGavin, Peter Billingsley and Jean Shepherd (narrator).
Child fiction book. An Indian boy who tends llamas in a hidden valley in Peru learns the traditions and secrets of his Inca ancestors. Grade: 3+
Child picture book, e-book, and e-video. Under the leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King, children and teenagers march against segregation in Birmingham, Alabama, in 1963. Age: 8-10.
Eleven-year-old Liv fights to change the middle school dress code requiring girls to wear a skirt and, along the way, finds the courage to tell his moms he is meant to be a boy.
For ages 9 and up
A Transformer is a robot in disguise. Liv is a boy in disguise. It’s that simple. Liv knows he was always meant to be a boy, but with his new school’s terrible dress code, he can’t even wear pants, only skirts. Operation: Pants Project begins! The only way for Liv to get what he wants is to go after it himself. But to Liv, this isn’t just a mission to change the school policy, it’s a mission to change his life, and that’s a pretty big deal. Age: 9+
Ramona's sister, Beezus, tries very hard to be patient, but how many nine-year-old girls have to put up with their embarrassing, annoying little four-year-old sisters? Sisters are supposed to love each other, but pesky little Ramona just doesn't seem very lovable to Beezus.
Book 1, Ramona Quimby series
When he decides to turn his fifth grade teacher's love of the dictionary around on her, clever Nick Allen invents a new word and begins a chain of events that quickly moves beyond his control. Also available on audio CD, and large print.
The noisy fifth grade boys of Laketon Elementary School challenge the equally loud fifth grade girls to a "no talking" contest. Also available in Spanish language.
Child nonfiction book, e-book, print with audio book, audiobook on cd, e-audiobook, and e-video. A lush and lyrical biography of Harriet Tubman, written in verse. An evocative poem and opulent watercolors come together to honor a woman of humble origins whose courage and compassion make her larger than life. Age: 4-8.
Child fiction book, e-book, and e-audiobook. Discovering a book of Langston Hughes' poetry in the library helps Langston cope with the loss of his mother, relocating from Alabama to Chicago as part of the Great Migration, and being bullied. Grade: 4+
Child fiction book, e-book and audiobook. Discovering a book of Langston Hughes' poetry in the library helps Langston cope with the loss of his mother, relocating from Alabama to Chicago as part of the Great Migration, and being bullied. Age: 8-11.
Discovering a book of Langston Hughes' poetry in the library helps Langston cope with the loss of his mother, relocating from Alabama to Chicago as part of the Great Migration, and being bullied.
Venus and Serena Williams are two of the greatest tennis players of all time. Before they were world famous, they were little girls with big dreams. Cline-Ransome and Coretta Scott King Honor winner Ransome share the inspirational story of two tennis legends who were fierce competitors on the courts, but close sisters above all.
Child fiction book. Raised by his grandparents, first in Mississippi then in Wisconsin, ten-year-old Lymon moves to Chicago in 1945 to live with the mother he never knew, while yearning for his father. Grade: 3+
"For Ta-Nehisi Coates, history has always been personal. At every stage of his life, he's sought in his explorations of history answers to the mysteries that surrounded him -- most urgently, why he, and other black people he knew, seemed to live in fear. What were they afraid of? In Tremble for My Country, Coates takes readers along on his journey through America's history of race and its contemporary resonances through a series of awakenings -- moments when he discovered some new truth about our long, tangled history of race, whether through his myth-busting professors at Howard University, a trip to a Civil War battlefield with a rogue historian, a journey to Chicago's South Side to visit aging survivors of 20th century America's 'long war on black people,' or a visit with the mother of a beloved friend who was shot down by the police. In his trademark style -- a mix of lyrical personal narrative, reimagined history, essayistic argument, and reportage -- Coates provides readers a thrillingly illuminating new framework for understanding race: its history, our contemporary dilemma, and where we go from here"-- Provided by publisher.
Adult Nonfiction:
"For Ta-Nehisi Coates, history has always been personal. At every stage of his life, he's sought in his explorations of history answers to the mysteries that surrounded him -- most urgently, why he, and other black people he knew, seemed to live in fear. What were they afraid of? In Tremble for My Country, Coates takes readers along on his journey through America's history of race and its contemporary resonances through a series of awakenings -- moments when he discovered some new truth about our long, tangled history of race, whether through his myth-busting professors at Howard University, a trip to a Civil War battlefield with a rogue historian, a journey to Chicago's South Side to visit aging survivors of 20th century America's 'long war on black people,' or a visit with the mother of a beloved friend who was shot down by the police. In his trademark style -- a mix of lyrical personal narrative, reimagined history, essayistic argument, and reportage -- Coates provides readers a thrillingly illuminating new framework for understanding race: its history, our contemporary dilemma, and where we go from here"-- publisher. Also available in Large Print.
Adult nonfiction book, e-book, e-audiobook, and large print. In a profound work that pivots from the biggest questions about American history and ideals to the most intimate concerns of a father for his son, Ta-Nehisi Coates offers a powerful new framework for understanding our nation's history and current crisis. Age: 15+