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- Ashley S.
- Monday, October 02, 2023
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Check out these diverse titles releasing in October!
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!
Ellis Johnson Might Be Famous
Published in 2023
After twelve-year-old Ellis's big break turns into his most embarrassing moment ever and his relationship with his dad and their cookie store starts to change, Ellis hatches plans to get his life back on track.
The Twelve Hours of Christmas
Published in 2023
"A reimagining of the "Twelve Days of Christmas" carol, featuring a large family coming together on Christmas Day"-- Provided by publisher.
Ready, Set, Dough!
Published in 2023
Sixth-grader Zoe sets her sights on winning a laptop by becoming the top cookie-dough seller in her class, but as she becomes more obsessed with winning, she begins to lose sight of what is really important.
And Don't Look Back
Published in 2023
After her mother's death, teen Harlow pieces together the truth of her family's past and what her mom was hiding from.
Secret of the Reaping
Published in 2023
Boog and the rest of The Squad continue their Vanquisher training as they try to find who is behind the vampires' return and work to convince their parents they are ready to join the Vanquishers' fight.
Songs of Irie
Published in 2023
During the political turmoil in 1976 Jamaica, Irie and Jilly must navigate their opposing upbringings as they fall in love and choose between the futures decided for them and the futures they desire.
Dawn of the Jaguar
Published in 2023
After negotiating with the queen of the underworld for ten days aboveground, teenage bruja Ren sets out to save her friends and put the Lords of Night back to sleep forever, all without the help of her shadow magic and time rope.
A Bright Heart
Published in 2023
When sixteen-year-old Migshin wakes up two years before her murder, she seeks to prevent all the horrors she unwittingly set in motion, but the timeline has changed, forcing her to use her intellect and wit to ensure the wrong man does not once again become king.
Kween
Published in 2023
A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen's journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo. Soma Kear's verses have gone viral. A searing, joyful YA debut about a queer Cambodian American teen's journey to find her voice and step into her legacy, perfect for fans of Ibi Zoboi and Elizabeth Acevedo.Soma Kear's verses have gone viral. Trouble is, she didn't exactly think her slam poetry video through. All she knew was that her rhymes were urgent. On fire. An expression of where she was, and that place.was a hot mess.Following her Ba's deportation back to Cambodia, everything's changed. Her Ma is away trying to help Ba adjust to his new life, and her older sister has taken charge with a new authoritarian tone. Meanwhile, Soma's trending video pushes her to ask if it's time to level up. With her school's spoken word contest looming, Soma must decide: Is she brave enough to put herself out there? To publicly reveal her fears of Ba not returning? To admit that things may never be the same?With every line she spits, Soma searches for a way to make sense of the world around her. The answers are at the mic.From debut author Vichet Chum comes a celebration of Khmer identity, queerness, and embracing the complicated histories that shape who we are and want to be.
The Blackwoods
Published in 2023
Told from multiple points of view, Ardith and Hollis Blackwood's lives are upended when their great-grandmother, legendary actress Blossom Blackwood, passes away, and family secrets emerge.
By Any Other Name
Published in 2023
In London, 1593, sixteen-year-old Will Hughes makes his living on Shakespeare's stage, but after the famous playwright Christopher Marlowe is murdered, he teams up with young Lord James Bloomsbury, and together the two hunt the elusive assassin as their forbidden feelings for each other ignite.
The Poison Waves
Published in 2023
"Kiya and Kinjal have succeeded in their first quest in the magical world of the Kingdom Beyond, but whatever good they achieved might not be enough. Their faithful flying horses Snowy and Raat reappear and whisk them back to the Kingdom to help the . . . winged merpeople who are slowly being poisoned by the very water in which they live. It is up to the twins to figure it out and put a stop to it. Fortunately, Kiya has the know-how to solve this mystery . . . if only she can put the pieces together before the evil serpent king Sesha knows they've reentered the Kingdom!"--Amazon.
Green
Published in 2023
Green, a non-binary middle-schooler, comes into their own in no small part by fighting for gender-free casting in their school's production of The Wizard of Oz.
Lullaby for the King
Published in 2023
"A lyrical Christmas story about animals coming from around the Middle East to visit baby Jesus, bringing their individual gifts and singing him a lullaby"-- Provided by publisher.
Alebrijes
Published in 2023
When thirteen-year-old Leandro takes the fall for his sister and is exiled into an ancient drone, he embarks on a perilous journey beyond the city's walls where he encounters mutant monsters, wasteland pirates, and fellow outcasts as he tries to save his sister and fellow Cascabeles from the oppressive regime.
What the River Knows
A Novel
Published in 2023
Set in 1884, nineteen-year-old Inez travels to Egypt after the sudden death of her parents to uncover the truth about their deaths, and as she attempts to unravel the mysteries her parents sought, she becomes a pawn in a larger game that threatens to killher.
The Forest Demands Its Due
Published in 2023
When the murder of his classmate at an elite boarding school seems to be forgotten overnight, seventeen-year-old Douglas must confront centuries of secrets in the school's past and a vengeful creature in the forest surrounding the campus.
The Spells We Cast
Published in 2023
Sparks fly when eighteen-year-old Nigel meets Ori during the Culling, a competition that determines whether a magician is stripped of their powers or joins the magical society known as the Guild, but they soon realize the connection growing between them threatens their future, the Guild, and all of humanity.
Omega Morales and the Curse of El Cucuy
Published in 2023
Omega will have to learn to trust her powers once again as she comes face to face with the Mexican legend El Cucuy.
Zain's Super Friday
Published in 2023
A little boy, Zain, wants to play, but first he attends Friday prayers at the mosque with his father, learning about the rituals of Islam.
Where's Joon?
Published in 2023
On Halmoni's birthday after finding a mess in the kitchen but no Joon, Jin is sent through a magical portal into a fantastical world to deliver rice cakes to the notorious miser Jo-harabuhji and hopefully meet Joon and restore Halmoni's broken magic pot.
Fox Snare
Published in 2023
"When Min the fox spirit and her ghost brother Jun are sent on a goodwill mission to prevent war from breaking out, they end up getting stranded on a death planet behind enemy lines"-- Provided by publisher.
The Fall of Whit Rivera
Published in 2023
Seventeen-year-old Whit, a plus-sized Puerto-Rican girl, is forced to plan the school's Fall Formal with her handsome ex.
The Mexican Dreidel
Published in 2023
Danielito's dreidel leads his new friends' Mexican tops called trompos on a spinning adventure through the neighborhood.
Gone Wolf
Published in 2023
A twelve-year-old Black girl deals with fear, grief, pain, and suffering caused by the Covid-19 pandemic and America's history of enslavement and racist violence.
Sleepless in Dubai
Published in 2023
Nikki, an aspiring photographer, thinks she is embarking on a trip of a lifetime to Dubai to celebrate Diwali, until she finds out Yash, the boy-next-door with whom she has a rocky history, is also taking part.
Hey, Baby Girl
Published in 2023
Let your little ones know how truly beautiful they are with this precious board book. Let your little ones know how truly beautiful they are with this precious board book - the sixth title in our growing Bright Brown Baby series - from bestselling and award-winning duo Andrea Davis Pinkney and Brian Pinkney! Get ready for sweet togetherness as you snuggle up with your little one and show them how truly extraordinary and beautiful they are. With bouncing, rhythmic text and sweet illustrations, this joyful celebration is the perfect way to teach your little girl that they can spread their light! This board book is part of theBright Brown Baby series, a celebration of Black and brown joy, babies and families A lovely book to read out loud, this is perfect for newborn and young babies, baby showers, birthdays and more Love the sound of this? Be sure to check out the Count to LOVE!, Peek-a-YOU!, Hello, Beautiful You! and Baby Boy, You are a Star board books as well as the beautiful picture book treasury, Bright Brown Baby
There Was a Party for Langston
Published in 2023
A celebration of Langston Hughes and African American authors he inspired, told through the lens of the party held at the New York Public Library's Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture in 1991.
I Am a Dinosaur
I Am a Dinosaur!
Published in 2023
Hugo, a young boy who changes the world around him, climbs, smashes and goes on adventures with his best friend, Dino.
Bhangra Baby
Published in 2023
Bhangra Baby learns to step, hop, twist, and jump as he moves to the rhythm of the dhol.
Game of Freedom
Mestre Bimba and the Art of Capoeira
Published in 2023
"A meia lua whooshed in the air. The strike was evaded and followed with an aau. Two young men were playing capoeira in the middle of the roda. Bimba wanted to play, too. Although it is debated when and where capoeira-an art form that blends martial arts,dance, acrobatics, music, and spirituality-originated exactly, one thing is certain: in the early 20th century, Brazil was the only country in the world where capoeira was played, and it was mainly practiced by people of African descent. In 1890, two years after Brazil officially abolished slavery, the game was outlawed. Wealthy, lighter-skinned society feared and looked down on capoeira, seeing it as a game for "malandros"-what people in power called the poor Black communities who they disdained. But inthe early 1920's in the city of Salvador, a man called Bimba would advocate for capoeira, and those who practiced it, to be treated with dignity and the respect it deserved. Duncan Tonatiuh's lyrical prose and beloved illustration style, inspired by pre-Columbian codices, tell the story of arguably the greatest capoeirista of all time, who fought to turn a misunderstood, persecuted Afro-Brazilian activity into a celebrated art practiced by millions around the world. In 2014, the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) named capoeira an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity, a distinction awarded because of the game's promotion of social integration and memory it holds of the struggle against historical oppression. Froman award-winning author-illustrator, Game of Freedom is a stirring celebration of solidarity and resistance through art"-- Provided by publisher.
The Light She Feels Inside
Published in 2023
Sometimes Maya feels a warm glow inside, but sometimes she feels a different kind of glow, and a trip to the library helps Maya discovers how Black women throughout history used their feelings to help change the world for the better.
Ways to Build Dreams
Published in 2023
During Black History Month, Ryan learns more about her ancestors and local Black pioneers, and their hope for her generation.
Mrs. Maccabee's Miracle
Published in 2023
The five Maccabee sons are always losing things, and their mom is ever there to remind them where to look, but when they cannot find the oil to light the Temple menorah after defeating the Greek army, they must remember her sage advice. Includes the storyof Hanukkah.
Zora, the Story Keeper
Published in 2023
"A young Black girl and her aunt celebrate the wonder and magic of their family's legacy through storytelling."-- Provided by publisher.
Remember Us
Published in 2023
"The summer before seventh grade, as the constant threat of housefires looms over her Brooklyn neighborhood, basketball-loving Sage is trying to figure out her place in her circle of friends, when a new kid named Freddy moves in"-- Provided by publisher.
Shang-Chi and the Quest for Immortality
Published in 2023
Sneaking out of the palace into the outside world to find the legendary Peaches of Immortality to gift to his father, 12-year-old Shang-Chi refuses to fail in his quest until he hears things that make him wonder if his father deserves to be saved.