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Winter in Sokcho Review

 

   See That Beauty

             A Book Review by Madeleine Keiser

Image cover Winter in Sokcho

This book is about a young French-Korean women living in her hometown of Sokcho, South Korea. She works at a local inn, cooking and doing housekeeping. During one of Sokcho's harsh winters when rarely any visitors come, a french cartoonist arrives to stay at the inn. He hopes to find artistic inspiration from the town, and so she begins to accompany him on his tours of the area. While she's getting to know this new man, she also deals with her aging mother, distant boyfriend, and her own destructive thoughts. I enjoyed this book mainly because of how beautiful the language is. It draws you in with very strong imagery of the town of Sokcho. Both main characters see the town as beautiful, and you see that beauty with them. The women sees what she thinks is the true nature of Sokcho. The fish markets, neon signs, food, and everything she has grown up knowing. On the other hand the French man sees a natural beauty in the town, from the eyes of an outsider. He sees the beaches and snow covered mountains that surround Sokcho. I would recommend this book to an older teenage audience. As a a warning, it does deal with subjects such like eating disorders, and has heavy sexual scenes. This book is perfect for people who enjoy being consumed by books, and reading them frantically in the span of a couple hours. It's a very short read, and the narrator's thoughts can feel like a constant spiral, which gets you caught up with her. The obsession with her body and the cartoonist become all-consuming at points, and makes the book impossible to put down. I gave this book a 4.5/5 because I can't bring myself to give any book a 5 unless after reading it I just know it's my new favorite. If you read this book, and find yourself looking up "books like Winter in Sokcho" like I know you will, here are two beautiful books I found to have similar themes of obsession: Death in her hands by Otessa Moshfeh and The Virgin Suicides by Jeffery Eugenides.

Reviewer: Madeleine Keiser, 12th grade

Title: Winter in Sokcho

Author: Elisa Shua Dusapin

Published in: 2016

Length: 160 pgs

Stars: 4.5/5

 

Teen Review:

**Spoiler Warning**


I'll Give You the Sun Cover ImageI'll Give You the Sun

I recently read I'll Give You the Sun by Jandy Nelson, and it's now one of my favorite
books ever. I had this book sitting on my shelf for months, and I never got around to reading it,
but I wish I had sooner. It is a heartwarming story of two twins spanning their high school and
middle school years.

Throughout their childhood, Noah and Jude had been inseparable. They
were each other's best friends. In middle school they start to grow apart. Jude is going to
parties all the time, while Noah is constantly bullied by the same people Jude hangs out around.
Jude has lots of friends, and Noah has none. Jude even ruined the one friend Noah managed
to make.

 

Their mom encouraged their love of art, which lasted even after her death, and Noah's
biggest wish is to go to the local art school for high school, but when Jude gets in and Noah
doesn't, their relationship takes a huge hit. Noah goes to the public high school, and Jude goes
to the art school, and their roles are reversed. Noah has made a lot of friends, while Jude has
pulled away from people, including Noah.

When Jude enlists the help of a grumpy old artist to
make the sculpture of her life, a series of relationships and connections are unveiled that bring
the twins back together and uncovers secrets about their mom previously unknown.
This story was impossible to put down.

The hint of mystery and romance woven into a
tale of familial healing and love created an incredible novel. I also loved the writing because it
was so unique, and enhanced the story and characters so much. It captures the hopelessness
and confusion of being a kid, but was also hilarious at times. I've read a lot of contemporary
young adult novels, and this book is easily at the top of my list.

-Ella, Alameda TAB

Black History Month

March: Book One By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator) Cover Image
By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator)
$14.95
ISBN: 9781603093002
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Top Shelf Productions - August 13th, 2013

March: Book Three By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator) Cover Image
By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9781603094023
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Published: Top Shelf Productions - August 2nd, 2016

March: Book Two By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator) Cover Image
By John Lewis, Andrew Aydin, Nate Powell (Illustrator)
$19.95
ISBN: 9781603094009
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Top Shelf Productions - January 20th, 2015

Turning 15 on the Road to Freedom: My Story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights March By Lynda Blackmon Lowery, Elspeth Leacock (With), Susan Buckley (With), PJ Loughran (Illustrator) Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9780147512161
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Published: Speak - December 27th, 2016

Dread Nation By Justina Ireland Cover Image
$11.99
ISBN: 9780062570611
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Published: Balzer + Bray - June 4th, 2019

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing, Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party By M. T. Anderson Cover Image
$13.99
ISBN: 9780763636791
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Published: Candlewick - January 22nd, 2008

The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks By Rebecca Skloot Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781400052189
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Published: Crown - March 8th, 2011

Stamped (For Kids): Racism, Antiracism, and You By Jason Reynolds, Ibram X. Kendi, Sonja Cherry-Paul (Adapted by), Rachelle Baker (Illustrator) Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780316167581
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Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - May 11th, 2021

Revolution in Our Time: The Black Panther Party’s Promise to the People By Kekla Magoon Cover Image
$24.99
ISBN: 9781536214185
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Published: Candlewick - November 8th, 2021

Their Eyes Were Watching God: A Novel By Zora Neale Hurston Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780060838676
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Published: Amistad - March 19th, 2013

Go Tell It on the Mountain (Vintage International) By James Baldwin Cover Image
$16.00
ISBN: 9780375701870
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Published: Vintage - September 12th, 2013

Kindred: A Graphic Novel Adaptation By Octavia E. Butler, John Jennings (Illustrator), Damian Duffy (Adapted by), Nnedi Okorafor (Introduction by) Cover Image
By Octavia E. Butler, John Jennings (Illustrator), Damian Duffy (Adapted by), Nnedi Okorafor (Introduction by)
$19.99
ISBN: 9781419728556
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Published: Harry N. Abrams - July 24th, 2018

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The Underground Railroad: A Novel By Colson Whitehead Cover Image
$16.95
ISBN: 9780345804327
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Published: Anchor - January 30th, 2018

Warriors Don't Cry By Melba Pattillo Beals Cover Image
$8.99
ISBN: 9781416948827
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Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - July 24th, 2007

We Are Not Yet Equal: Understanding Our Racial Divide By Carol Anderson, Tonya Bolden Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9781547602520
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Published: Bloomsbury Children's Books - October 29th, 2019

Hidden Figures Young Readers' Edition By Margot Lee Shetterly Cover Image
$9.99
ISBN: 9780062662378
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Published: HarperCollins - November 29th, 2016

She Came to Slay: The Life and Times of Harriet Tubman By Erica Armstrong Dunbar Cover Image
$25.99
ISBN: 9781982139599
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Published: 37 Ink - November 5th, 2019

To Write in the Light of Freedom: The Newspapers of the 1964 Mississippi Freedom Schools By William Sturkey (Editor), Jon N. Hale (Editor) Cover Image
By William Sturkey (Editor), Jon N. Hale (Editor)
This Book Is Not Sold Online - Inquire In Store
ISBN: 9781496809650
Published: University Press of Mississippi - August 25th, 2016

YA Lunar New Year

Continuum (Pocket Change Collective) By Chella Man, Chella Man (Illustrator), Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Chella Man, Chella Man (Illustrator), Ashley Lukashevsky (Illustrator)
$8.99
ISBN: 9780593223482
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Published: Penguin Workshop - June 1st, 2021

Iron Widow By Xiran Jay Zhao Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780735269934
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Published: Penguin Teen Canada - September 21st, 2021

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These Violent Delights (These Violent Delights Duet #1) By Chloe Gong Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534457690
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Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - November 17th, 2020

Our Violent Ends (These Violent Delights Duet #2) By Chloe Gong Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534457720
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Published: Margaret K. McElderry Books - November 16th, 2021

The Red Palace By June Hur Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781250800558
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Published: Feiwel & Friends - January 25th, 2022

Six Crimson Cranes By Elizabeth Lim Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780593300916
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Published: Knopf Books for Young Readers - July 6th, 2021

Loveboat Reunion By Abigail Hing Wen Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062957306
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Published: HarperTeen - January 25th, 2022

The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea By Axie Oh Cover Image
By Axie Oh
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250780867
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Published: Feiwel & Friends - February 22nd, 2022

The Keeper of Night By Kylie Lee Baker Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781335405661
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Published: Inkyard Press - October 12th, 2021

A Thousand Steps into Night By Traci Chee Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780358469988
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Published: HarperCollins - March 1st, 2022

Dark Rise By C. S. Pacat Cover Image
$21.99
ISBN: 9780062946140
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Published: Quill Tree Books - September 28th, 2021

Yolk By Mary H. K. Choi Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534446007
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Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - March 2nd, 2021

We Are Not Free: A Printz Honor Winner By Traci Chee Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780358131434
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Published: Clarion Books - September 1st, 2020

Girls of Fate and Fury (Girls of Paper and Fire #3) By Natasha Ngan Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780316528788
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Published: Jimmy Patterson - November 30th, 2021

A Pho Love Story By Loan Le Cover Image
By Loan Le
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534441934
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Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - February 9th, 2021

Jade Fire Gold By June CL Tan Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780063056367
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Published: HarperTeen - October 12th, 2021

the “forever is the sweetest con” chapter

the “forever is the sweetest con” chapter

By Tiffany and Avalon

Taylor Swift put some of her songs from Folklore and Evermore into her “Forever is the Sweetest Con” chapter, implying that the idea of loving someone forever is simply a glorified illusion. These six stunning songs put us in our feelings and reminded us of these six books:

 

Cowboy Like Me - A SONG OF WRAITHS AND RUIN by Roseanne A Brown

 

 

 

 

For Malik, the Solstasia festival is a chance to escape his war-stricken home and start a new life with his sisters in the prosperous desert city of Ziran. But when a vengeful spirit abducts Malik’s younger sister, Nadia, as payment into the city, Malik strikes a fatal deal—kill Karina, Crown Princess of Ziran, for Nadia’s freedom.

But Karina has deadly aspirations of her own. Her mother, the Sultana, has been assassinated; her court threatens mutiny; and Solstasia looms like a knife over her neck. Grief-stricken, Karina decides to resurrect her mother through ancient magic . . . requiring the beating heart of a king. And she knows just how to obtain one: by offering her hand in marriage to the victor of the Solstasia competition.

When Malik rigs his way into the contest, they are set on a course to destroy each other. But as attraction flares between them and ancient evils stir, will they be able to see their tasks to the death?

The first in an fantasy duology inspired by West African folklore in which a grieving crown princess and a desperate refugee find themselves on a collision course to murder each other despite their growing attraction.

“Dancin’ s a dangerous game”

Malik and Karna both find that “dancin’ is a dangerous game” and “got some tricks up [their] sleeve” as they each have their own goals in mind when first meeting each other before they fall in love.

 

Mirrorball - SING ME FORGOTTEN by Jessica S. Olson

 

 

 

 

 

Isda does not exist. At least not beyond the opulent walls of the opera house.

 

Cast into a well at birth for being one of the magical few who can manipulate memories when people sing, she was saved by Cyril, the opera house’s owner. Since that day, he has given her sanctuary from the murderous world outside. All he asks in return is that she use her power to keep ticket sales high—and that she stay out of sight. For if anyone discovers she survived, Isda and Cyril would pay with their lives.

But Isda breaks Cyril’s cardinal rule when she meets Emeric Rodin, a charming boy who throws her quiet, solitary life out of balance. His voice is unlike any she’s ever heard, but the real shock comes when she finds in his memories hints of a way to finally break free of her gilded prison.

Haunted by this possibility, Isda spends more and more time with Emeric, searching for answers in his music and his past. But the price of freedom is steeper than Isda could ever know. For even as she struggles with her growing feelings for Emeric, she learns that in order to take charge of her own destiny, she must become the monster the world tried to drown in the first place.

“I’ll show you every version of yourself tonight.”

Like Mirrorball’s singer, Isda often has to pretend to be someone she’s not, but her musical talent also ends up leading to her showing Emeric “every version of [himself] tonight.”

 

Evermore - HISTORY IS ALL YOU LEFT ME by Adam Silvera

 

 

 

 

 

When Griffin's first love and ex-boyfriend, Theo, dies in a drowning accident, his universe implodes. Even though Theo had moved to California for college and started seeing Jackson, Griffin never doubted Theo would come back to him when the time was right. But now, the future he's been imagining for himself has gone far off course. 

To make things worse, the only person who truly understands his heartache is Jackson. But no matter how much they open up to each other, Griffin's downward spiral continues. He's losing himself in his obsessive compulsions and destructive choices, and the secrets he's been keeping are tearing him apart. 

If Griffin is ever to rebuild his future, he must first confront his history, every last heartbreaking piece in the puzzle of his life,

“I had a feeling so peculiar that this pain would be for evermore.”

After losing Theo, Griffin's feelings reflect those of Evermore's narrator as he often feels alone and like “this pain would be for evermore.”


 

  1. Long Story Short - NIGHTBLADE by Ryan Kirk

 

 

 

 

Ryuu is a boy orphaned by violence at a young age. Found by a wandering warrior, he learns he may have more strength than he ever imagined possible. 

A quiet child, Moriko is forced into a monastic system she despises. Torn from her family and the forest she grew up in, she must fight to learn the skills she’ll need to survive her tutelage under the realm’s most dangerous assassin. 

Young, beautiful, and broke, Takako is sold to pay for her father’s debts. Thrust into a world she doesn’t understand and battles she didn’t ask for, she must decide where her loyalties lie. 

When their lives crash together in a Kingdom on the brink of war, the decisions they make will change both their lives and their Kingdom forever. 

If they can stay alive. 

“I tried to pick my battles ‘til the battle picked me”

Like in long story short, Moriko “fell from the pedestal” when she was exposed as a Nightblade before getting close to Ryuu.

 

Invisible String- THIS IS HOW YOU LOSE THE TIME WAR by Amal el-Mohtar, Max Gladstone

 

 

 

 

 

Among the ashes of a dying world, an agent of the Commandant finds a letter. It reads: Burn before reading. Thus begins an unlikely correspondence between two rival agents hellbent on securing the best possible future for their warring factions. Now, what began as a taunt, a battlefield boast, grows into something more. Something epic. Something romantic. Something that could change the past and the future.

Except the discovery of their bond would mean death for each of them. There's still a war going on, after all. And someone has to win that war.

“Time, curious time gave me no compasses, gave me no signs [...] isn’t it just so pretty to think, all along there was some invisible string, tying you to me?”

Despite a war and world separating them, Red and Blue feel like they're bounded together by an Invisible String and find ways to communicate through letters.

 

willow - TALES FROM THE HINTERLAND by Melissa Albert

 

 

 

 

 

Journey into the Hinterland, a brutal and beautiful world where a young woman spends a night with Death, brides are wed to a mysterious house in the trees, and an enchantress is killed twice―and still lives.

“And there was one prize I'd cheat to win”

TALES FROM THE HINTERLAND is sure to satisfy our cravings for the mystical world of willow!

YA Hispanic Heritage

 

SEPTEMBER 15th - OCTOBER 15th

National Hispanic Heritage Month is a period from September 15 to October 15 in the United States for recognizing the contributions and influence of Hispanic Americans to the history, culture, and achievements of the United States.

*Included near the bottom of the list center around more Indigenous/ Latin American History and some are Adult for later teens/ interested youths. 

 

Aristotle and Dante Dive into the Waters of the World By Benjamin Alire Sáenz Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534496194
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - October 12th, 2021

Staff Pick Badge
Cemetery Boys By Aiden Thomas Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781250250469
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Swoon Reads - September 1st, 2020

Clap When You Land By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062882769
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 5th, 2020

Thirty Talks Weird Love By Alessandra Narváez Varela Cover Image
$18.95
ISBN: 9781947627482
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Cinco Puntos Press - November 2nd, 2021

When We Make It By Elisabet Velasquez Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780593324486
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Dial Books - September 21st, 2021

How Moon Fuentez Fell in Love with the Universe By Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534448667
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - August 10th, 2021

Living Beyond Borders: Growing up Mexican in America By Margarita Longoria Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780593204979
Availability: Backordered-Could Take 2-4Weeks
Published: Viking Books for Young Readers - August 17th, 2021

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The Poet X By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062662804
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Quill Tree Books - March 6th, 2018

We Light Up the Sky By Lilliam Rivera Cover Image
$17.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9781547603763
Published: Bloomsbury YA - October 26th, 2021

Cazadora: A Novel (Wolves of No World #2) By Romina Garber Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250239150
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Wednesday Books - August 17th, 2021

Meet Cute Diary By Emery Lee Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780063038837
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 4th, 2021

With the Fire on High By Elizabeth Acevedo Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780062662835
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 7th, 2019

Furia By Yamile Saied Méndez Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781616209919
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Algonquin Young Readers - September 15th, 2020

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter By Erika L. Sánchez Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781524700485
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Knopf Books for Young Readers - October 17th, 2017

Había una vez...mexicanas que hicieron historia / Once Upon a Time... Mexican Women Who Made History By Fa Orozco, Pedro J. Fernández Cover Image
$19.95
ISBN: 9786073176040
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Alfaguara Juvenil - June 25th, 2019

From Farmworker to Astronaut/de Campesino a Astronauta: My Path to the Stars/Mi Viaje a Las Estrellas By Jose M. Hernandez, Dario Zarate Figueroa (Translator) Cover Image
$12.95
ISBN: 9781558858688
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Pinata Books - October 31st, 2019

Mama Tingo By Raynelda a. Calderon, Marli Renee (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Raynelda a. Calderon, Marli Renee (Illustrator)
$18.99
ISBN: 9781733139205
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Cayena Press, Ltd. - October 12th, 2019

Life and Culture in Latin America By Rachael Morlock Cover Image
$12.75
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9781725321564
Published: PowerKids Press - December 30th, 2020

Nicaragua (Enchantment of the World) (Enchantment of the World. Second Series) By Wil Mara Cover Image
$40.00
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9780531220900
Published: Children's Press - February 1st, 2017

Bolivia (Enchantment of the World) (Enchantment of the World. Second Series) By Nel Yomtov Cover Image
$40.00
ISBN: 9780531126943
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Children's Press - February 1st, 2019

It's All Love: Reflections for Your Heart & Soul By Jenna Ortega Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780593174562
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Random House Books for Young Readers - January 5th, 2021

Juliet Takes a Breath: The Graphic Novel By Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Gabby Rivera, Celia Moscote (Illustrator)
$14.99
ISBN: 9781684156115
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: BOOM! Box - December 1st, 2020

MILES MORALES VOL. 6: ALL EYES ON ME (MILES MORALES: SPIDER-MAN #6) By Saladin Ahmed, Marvel Various, Christopher Allen (Illustrator), Marvel Various (Illustrator), Christopher Allen (Cover design or artwork by) Cover Image
By Saladin Ahmed, Marvel Various, Christopher Allen (Illustrator), Marvel Various (Illustrator), Christopher Allen (Cover design or artwork by)
$15.99
ISBN: 9781302926021
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Marvel Universe - January 18th, 2022

Unearthed: A Jessica Cruz Story By Lilliam Rivera, Steph C. (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Lilliam Rivera, Steph C. (Illustrator)
$16.99
ISBN: 9781779500519
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: DC Comics - September 14th, 2021

The Hazards of Love Vol. 1: Bright World By Stan Stanley Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781620108574
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Oni Press - March 30th, 2021

AMERICA CHAVEZ: MADE IN THE USA By Kalinda Vazquez, Carlos Gomez (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Kalinda Vazquez, Carlos Gomez (Illustrator)
$15.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9781302924454
Published: Marvel Universe - November 2nd, 2021

Martian Ghost Centaur By Mat Heagerty, Steph Mided (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Mat Heagerty, Steph Mided (Illustrator)
$19.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9781620108499
Published: Oni Press - March 16th, 2021

Harvest of Empire: A History of Latinos in America By Juan Gonzalez Cover Image
$19.00
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9780143119289
Published: Penguin Books - May 31st, 2011

An African American and Latinx History of the United States (ReVisioning History #4) By Paul Ortiz Cover Image
$17.00
ISBN: 9780807005934
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Beacon Press - December 11th, 2018

The Sea-Ringed World: Sacred Stories of the Americas By Maria Garcia Esperon, Amanda Mijangos (Illustrator), David Bowles (Translated by) Cover Image
By Maria Garcia Esperon, Amanda Mijangos (Illustrator), David Bowles (Translated by)
$21.99
ISBN: 9781646140152
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Levine Querido - February 23rd, 2021

An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States for Young People (ReVisioning History for Young People #2) By Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Jean Mendoza (Adapted by), Debbie Reese (Adapted by) Cover Image
By Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz, Jean Mendoza (Adapted by), Debbie Reese (Adapted by)
$18.95
ISBN: 9780807049396
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Beacon Press - July 23rd, 2019

New Teen Review:

How Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is One of the Most Reflective Books of Our Generation

By: Kaia B.

One of the first things I thought of and questioned when I began reading Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of The Universe is, “Both Ari and Dante are fifteen, and they act so much younger than me.” Since I’m ‘only’ fourteen and always called ‘mature for my age’ by my teachers and other adults, seeing how teenagers acted in 1987, the year the book takes place, really got me thinking.

    In the book, Ari and Dante spend their time during summer swimming, playing at the park, and overall having fun without their parents. The book mentions many times how Ari doesn’t like to watch TV, and how Dante especially does not like to wear shoes. This, compared to how I grew up and how I, being a year younger than them when the book starts, am experiencing things, made me think, as stated.

As spoken on social media such as Tik Tok and Instagram, there have been many reports that my generation has been forced to grow up too fast. There’s evidence of it, too.

With big events such as 9/11, the Stock Market Downturn of 2002, Hurricane Katrina of 2005, and the Great Recession of 2008 surrounding our births, Gen Z was already around traumatizing happenings from a young age. And this only adds to the greater exposed crime, which is a factor in the common saying of parents to kids of “be home when the street lights turn on.”

In Ari and Dante’s case in 1987-1989, they and presumably other teenagers were able to stay out late at night (per one of Ari and Dante’s favorite activities of driving to the desert to see the stars), head out to the park without parent supervision, and other things that I wasn’t able to experience.

I don’t know about my peers, but as a kid, going out to the park three blocks away and other activities weren’t as accessible to me as it was to Ari and Dante. Even now, my parents constantly remind me to be careful on the bus, pay attention while walking, and don't display that you have things worthy of taking, among other things.

In the 1980s, crime rate was at an all time high. Surprisingly, it’s lower now. However, with social media and more news outlets, crime is displayed more frequently. Not to mention the constant fear mongering and other fear tactics.

Crime isn’t the only thing taking the teenage life from teenagers today. “Forced to grow up too fast” is also the work of societal expectations.

Another trending topic on social media, pre-teens or tweens today are skipping the phase that younger generations went through, which was mainly glitter and unicorns and things society would now call ‘cringey.’ It’s in statistics, too. Multiple pre-teen stores like Justice and Claire’s have been having to shut down due to lack of business. Even older siblings question why 11-14 year olds look older than they were at that age.

Pre-teens are exposed to more social media, which includes not only beauty standards but issues around the world, as brought up with crime. Racism, homophobia, religious debates, global warming, and many more types of prejudice is what I and many others have found themselves surrounded by. Older politicians are influencing how they leave the world for us to deal with, and many, like myself, want to do something about it. It’s a lot to think about when you’re exposed to it.

Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe is an overall fantastic book in many aspects. The story features relationships between parental figures, dealing with the effects of a parent’s trauma as a child, LGBTQ+ issues, and more. But the thing that stood out to me was the reflectiveness of my own life and the discussions about Gen Z’s childhood going around social media. I, personally, like where I am at now, and my childhood, but it got me wondering how my childhood and now could be different if social media hadn’t been brought to the surface.

So, the real question is, how does this upbringing affect future kids?

 

Staff Pick Badge
Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe By Benjamin Alire Sáenz Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9781442408937
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - April 1st, 2014

Never Have I Ever...

Never Have I Ever... season 2 may be over, but these books can help fill that gaping hole left by Devi and the Drama.

This list includes heroines who are:

1. smart, nerdy-(ish) young women who try to break out of family constraints

2. have some HEAVY baggage work through

3. are pretty love-struck most of the time

4. have immigrant parents or are immigrants themselves

5. struggle to find their own voice and desires while sticking close to the values they were raised with

5b. unintentionally find themselves in the middle of drama

The Marvelous Mirza Girls By Sheba Karim Cover Image
$17.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9780062845481
Published: Quill Tree Books - May 18th, 2021

Bruised By Tanya Boteju Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9781534455023
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - March 23rd, 2021

Hani and Ishu's Guide to Fake Dating By Adiba Jaigirdar Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781645672579
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Page Street YA - May 25th, 2021

Excuse Me While I Ugly Cry By Joya Goffney Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780063024793
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: HarperTeen - May 4th, 2021

Where the Rhythm Takes You By Sarah Dass Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780063018525
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Balzer + Bray - May 11th, 2021

More Than Just a Pretty Face By Syed M. Masood Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780316492355
Availability: Backordered-Could Take 2-4Weeks
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - August 4th, 2020

I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter By Erika L. Sánchez Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781524700515
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Ember - March 5th, 2019

Not My Problem By Ciara Smyth Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062957146
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: HarperTeen - May 25th, 2021

Love in English By Maria E. Andreu Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9780062996510
Availability: Backordered-Could Take 2-4Weeks
Published: Balzer + Bray - February 2nd, 2021

The Knockout By Sajni Patel Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9781635830590
Availability: Backordered-Could Take 2-4Weeks
Published: Flux - January 26th, 2021

Zara Hossain Is Here By Sabina Khan Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781338580877
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Scholastic Press - April 6th, 2021

Frankly in Love By David Yoon Cover Image
$12.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9781984812223
Published: G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers - September 1st, 2020

Born Confused By Tanuja Desai Hidier Cover Image
$13.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9780545664516
Published: PUSH - April 29th, 2014

Fake It Till You Break It By Jenn P. Nguyen Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9781250250841
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: Square Fish - December 8th, 2020

A Match Made in Mehendi By Nandini Bajpai Cover Image
$10.99
Unavailable, Out of Stock, or Out of Print
ISBN: 9780316522557
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - September 8th, 2020

You Bring the Distant Near By Mitali Perkins Cover Image
$11.99
ISBN: 9781250233868
Availability: In Stock Now - Click Title to See Store Inventory. Please allow up to 48-hours for Curbside Pickup orders to be processed.
Published: Square Fish - April 2nd, 2019

Once Upon a Quinceañera By Monica Gomez-Hira Cover Image
$17.99
ISBN: 9780062996831
Availability: Usually Ships in 1-5 Days
Published: HarperTeen - March 2nd, 2021

the “ladies lunching” chapter

By Amanda, Avalon, Emily, Karina, and Tiffany

In Taylor Swift’s own words, “In my mind all of the evermore and folklore album ladies are a part of the same universe, so I put them in a playlist together.” Here are six books that remind us of the tracks on the ladies lunching” chapter.

  1. Marjorie - I Am Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter 

  2. August - Meet Me at Midnight

  3. No body, no crime - A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder

  4. Right where you left me - The Girl from Shadow Springs

 

1. Marjorie - I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER by Erika L. Sanche

“What died didn't stay dead/ You're alive, so alive/ And if I didn't know better/ I'd think you were singing to me now” 

Not Your Perfect Mexican Daughter Book Cover

 

Perfect Mexican daughters do not go away to college. And they do not move out of their parents’ house after high school graduation. Perfect Mexican daughters never abandon their family.

But Julia is not your perfect Mexican daughter. That was Olga’s role.

Then a tragic accident on the busiest street in Chicago leaves Olga dead and Julia left behind to reassemble the shattered pieces of her family. And no one seems to acknowledge that Julia is broken, too. Instead, her mother seems to channel her grief into pointing out every possible way Julia has failed.

But it’s not long before Julia discovers that Olga might not have been as perfect as everyone thought. With the help of her best friend, Lorena, and her first love (first everything), Connor, Julia is determined to find out. Was Olga really what she seemed? Or was there more to her sister’s story? And either way, how can Julia even attempt to live up to a seemingly impossible ideal?
 

 

 

    Both narrators of Marjorie and I AM NOT YOUR PERFECT MEXICAN DAUGHTER are haunted by the death of their loved ones. While the narrator of Marjorie only wants to reminisce on their friend’s death, Julia takes it a step further by investigating her sister’s death. 

 

2. no body, no crime (feat. HAIM) - A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER by Holly Jackson

 

I think he did it but I just can't prove it”

A Good Girl's Guide to Murder Book Cover

 

The case is closed. Five years ago, schoolgirl Andie Bell was murdered by Sal Singh. The police know he did it. Everyone in town knows he did it.

But having grown up in the same small town that was consumed by the murder, Pippa Fitz-Amobi isn't so sure. When she chooses the case as the topic for her final year project, she starts to uncover secrets that someone in town desperately wants to stay hidden. And if the real killer is still out there, how far will they go to keep Pip from the truth?

The ladies of both A GOOD GIRL’S GUIDE TO MURDER and no body, no crime have strong hunches as to whodunnit.

 

 

3. right where you left me - The Girl from Shadow Springs by Ellie Cypher

“Did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen? Time went on for everybody else, she won't know it”

the Girl from Shadow Springs Book Cover

 

 

 

 

Everyone in Shadow Springs knows that no one survives crossing the Flats. But the threat of a frozen death has never deterred the steady stream of treasure hunters searching for a legendary prize hidden somewhere in the vast expanse of ice. Jorie thinks they’re all fools, which makes scavenging their possessions easier. It’s how she and her sister, Brenna, survive.

Then Jorie scavenges off the wrong body. When the dead man’s enemy believes Jorie took something valuable from the body, he kidnaps Brenna as collateral. He tells Jorie that if she wants her sister back, she’ll have to trade her for the item he thinks she stole. But how can Jorie make a trade when she doesn’t even know what she’s looking for?

Meet me right where you left me, and read this haunting, epic fantasy in THE GIRL FROM SHADOW SPRINGS.

 

 

4. august - Meet Me at Midnight by Jessica Pennington

 “August slipped away into a moment in time”

Meet Me at Midnight Book Cover

 

They have a love-hate relationship with summer.

Sidney and Asher should have clicked. Two star swimmers forced to spend their summers on a lake together sounds like the perfect match. But it’s the same every year—in between cookouts and boat rides and family-imposed bonfires, Sidney and Asher spend the dog days of summer finding the ultimate ways to prank each other. And now, after their senior year, they’re determined to make it the most epic summer yet.

But their plans are thrown in sudden jeopardy when their feud causes their families to be kicked out of their beloved lake houses. Once in their new accommodations, Sidney expects the prank war to continue as usual. But then she gets a note—Meet me at midnight. And Asher has a proposition for her: join forces for one last summer of epic pranks, against a shared enemy—the woman who kicked them out.

Their truce should make things simpler, but six years of tormenting one another isn’t so easy to ignore. Kind of like the undeniable attraction growing between them. 

 

 

 

This summer romance will leave you thinking about salt air and moments in time, where you can all MEET ME AT MIDNIGHT.

 

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