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- Ashley S.
- Friday, June 24, 2022
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"A book is the place where children can try on all the lives they haven't got." - Margaret Meek
Here at Richland Library we are committed to fostering an inclusive culture that celebrates and respects our differences and unique learning styles. Each month a blog post will go live that showcases forthcoming diverse youth titles that have been purchased by the library. From differences in race, ethnicity, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability and more, these titles are great reads for the entire family.
Be sure to check out the 5 titles that I'm most excited for in the slideshow below as well as the curated list of releases at the bottom of this post.
Enjoy!
Troublemaker
Published in 2022
On the first night of rioting in the wake of the Rodney King verdict, Jordan's father leaves to check on the family store, spurring twelve-year-old Jordan and his friends to embark on a dangerous journey through South Central and Koreatown to come to hisaid, encountering the racism within their community as they go.
The Katha Chest
Published in 2022
Asiya loves to visit Nanu's house and rummage through her katha chest filled with quilts that tell stories about the bold and brave women in Asiya's family.
The Rumor Game
Published in 2022
At Foxham Prep, a posh private school for Washington, D.C.'s elite, a rumor gains momentum as it collects followers on social media, pulling three girls into its path--Bryn, who wants to erase all memories of the mistake she made last summer; cheer captain Cora, who desperately wants to believe in her boyfriend's faithfulness; and shy Georgie, newly hot after a summer at fat camp and ready to reinvent herself--but who can stop a dangerous rumor once it takes on a life of its own?
I'm Not Small
Published in 2022
"A young boy can feel small in a world made up of big, big things, but when he takes a closer look, he discovers that he is big, too"-- Provided by publisher.
Diamond Park
Published in 2022
When four Mexican-American teenagers from Houston travel to Diamond Park to buy a 1959 Chevy Impala from Magaña's godfather, something goes very wrong, and one of them, Susi, ends up arrested for murder; convinced that the real killer is a drug trafficker called Anaconda, Flaco and Magaña head to Mexico hunting for him to clear Susi's name--but in the process of kidnapping Anaconda Flaco discovers how little he understands about what really happened in Diamond Park.
The One True Me and You
A Novel
Published in 2022
Fanfic author Kay and beauty pageant contestant Teagan learn what it means to be--and to stand up for--yourself when they find love at a small fandom convention.
The Lost Dreamer
Published in 2022
In this fantasy inspired by ancient Mesoamerica, a lineage of seers defiantly resists the shifting patriarchal state that would see them destroyed.
Survive the Dome
Published in 2022
"A high school junior teams up with a hacker during a police brutality protest to shut down a device that creates an impenetrable dome around Baltimore that is keeping the residents in and information from going out"-- Provided by publisher.
Kiss & Tell
Published in 2022
On boy band Kiss & Tell's first major tour, lead singer Hunter Drake grapples with a painful breakup with his first boyfriend, his first rebound, and the stress of what it means to be queer in the public eye.
A Magic Steeped in Poison
Published in 2022
Ning enters a cutthroat magical competition to find the kingdom's greatest master of the art of brewing tea, but political schemes and secrets make her goal of gaining access to royal physicians to cure her dying sister far more dangerous than she imagined.
So This is Ever After
Published in 2022
Arek has managed to fulfill the prophecy and save the Kingdom of Ere from its evil ruler, but the quest is not over because until they free the princess locked in one of the towers he has to asssume the crown himself; only the princess proves to be very dead, and Arek is stuck as king; then he discovers that magic requires him to find a bride before his eighteenth birthday or wither away--but none of his female companions are interested, he does not want to marry a stranger, and anyway the only person heis attracted to is Matt, aspiring wizard, best friend, and secret crush.
Where Butterflies Fill the Sky
A Story of Immigration, Family, and Finding Home
Published in 2022
"An evocative picture book that tells the true story of the author's immigration from Kuwait to the United States"-- Provided by publisher.
Honestly Elliott
Published in 2022
Struggling with ADHD, loneliness, and connecting with his divorced father who would rather see him embrace sports instead of cooking, sixth-grader Elliott finds an unlikely friend in popular, perfect Maribel when the two are paired in a school-wide contest.
The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea
Published in 2022
In this retelling of the Korean legend The tale of Shim Cheong, sixteen-year-old Mina is swept away to the Spirit Realm, where, assisted by a motley crew of demons, gods, and lesser spirits, she sets out to awaken the sleeping Sea God and save her homeland and family from deadly storms.
Loveless
Published in 2021
Georgia has parents who are still in love, two sets of grandparents that are still together, and a brother who married his girlfriend, but at eighteen she has never even kissed someone (not even her lesbian best friend, Felipa) or particularly even wantedto; at the prom afterparty she is surrounded by couples making out, and she really does not know what is wrong--but in college she comes to understand herself as asexual/aromantic, and to capture the part of her identity that has always eluded her.
Pilar Ramirez and the Escape from Zafa
Published in 2022
While doing research for her documentary about her cousin Natasha--who disappeared in the Dominican Republic fifty years ago during the Trujillato--twelve-year-old Pilar Violeta Ramirez is transported to Zafa, an island where Dominican myths and legends come to life and where her cousin is being held captive in a sinister magical prison, and Pilar must defeat the Dominican bogeyman if she hopes to free Natasha and return home to Chicago. Includes author's note.
Air
Published in 2022
Twelve-and-a-half year old Emelyn Ethrige lives with her widowed father in South Carolina, dreams of wheelchair motocross, and makes custom chair bags trying to earn enough money to buy a serious set of wheels; she has been in a wheelchair all her life, and is just fine getting around without help, but it seems that since her mother was killed in an accident everyone (father, grandparents, teachers, and classmates) have started treating her differently: urging caution and trying to "help" and for an independently-minded girl who loves speed and big air tricks it is frustrating--so Emelyn and her best friends come up with a plan to change their minds.
And They Lived . . .
Published in 2022
"Chase Arthur is a hopeless romantic, but he's also struggling to figure out his gender identity and recover from an eating disorder. When Chase starts his freshman year of college, he has to navigate being away from home and missing his sister, finding his squad, and will have to learn to love--and be enough for--himself, while discovering what it means to truly live"-- Provided by publisher.
The Book of Stolen Time
Published in 2022
To protect Feylawn and the creatures living there, twelve-year-old Rufus and his cousin Abigail must prevent their grandfather's property from being sold to ruthless goblins.
All My Rage
Published in 2022
A family extending from Pakistan to California, deals with generations of young love, old regrets, and forgiveness.
How to Hear the Universe
Gaby Gonzl̀ez and the Search for Einstein's Ripples in Space-time
Published in 2022
Gibberish
Published in 2022
When Dat starts school in a country where he does not speak the language, everything around him sound like gibberish until a new friend helps him make sense of his new world.
Right Where I Left You
Published in 2022
The summer before he leaves for college, eighteen-year-old Isaac Martin makes big plans with his best friend Diego that only the reappearance of an old crush can derail.
Love, Decoded
Published in 2022
High school junior Gigi Wong is determined to be picked for a contest that could lead to an exclusive tech internship, but when her matchmaking app goes viral Gigi must deal with the unexpected consequences of helping her friends find love.