May the books keep us poised for another transformational summer in 2021. Stop in (or click links) to choose a brand-new one (or two, or three, or four…) Here are a few that our staff recommends.
The Little Things
by Christian Trimmer, Illustrated by Kaylani Juanita
An adorable story about paying it forward. One little act of kindness can build and build and actually change a community for the better! Fantastic art with wonderful representation and a really important message shared in a kind and very sweet way.
—Amy O.
Cyclopedia Exotica
by Aminder Dhaliwal
This volume of cartoons is a rad work of social satire in which the world is composed of two types of folks: Cyclopes and Two-Eyes. Dhaliwal’s great wit helps the bitter pill of how badly people treat each other go down with a snort. Puns abound! My affection for the cyclopes was immediate. They navigate all aspects of life while enduring marginalization, sometimes gracefully, sometimes angrily, sometimes comically. The reader sees not only these public and personal interactions, but also how they continue to resonate in the inner lives of the cyclopes. It is kooky and rings true, delightful and deep at once.
––Beverly
Black Water Sister
by Zen Cho
This is a coming of age urban fantasy. What do you do when you’ve just graduated, moved to Malaysia with your parents and started hearing the voice of your dead grandmother? A lot. Jess, a closeted queer, doesn’t know what to do and suddenly finds herself in a world of gods, ghosts, gangsters, and family secrets. She mixes the spirit world with everyday Malaysia, tackling family ties, coming out, and growing into your own person.
—Calla
The Rock from the Sky
by Jon Klassen
Jon Klassen knows how to make the simplest dialogue absolutely laugh-out-loud funny. Each of the characters are drawn so simply, yet so expressively. I maybe find this book a little too relatable…
— Juliette
13 Things Strong Kids Do
by Amy Morin
Oh goodness! What an important book for kids (and adults)! Offering real-life scenarios in subjects like setting boundaries and owning our mistakes, this is a fun and interactive way to tackle big and tough moments. Empowering!
—Karly
The Anthropocene Reviewed
by John Green
For avid fans of John Green, this is him at his most solemn and introspective. Yet this book radiates an awe and faith that had me tearing up — in appreciation — throughout. As Green notes various elements of human life, from our temporal range as a species, to the artwork of the Lascaux Caves, he connects to small moments of his own life, the lives of those long passed and expresses a profound faith in us all. This book was the steadiest and most intense form of catharsis I’ve felt in a while, and after this year, I definitely needed it.
—KT
Fortune Favors the Dead
by Stephen Spotswood
Equal parts pulpy and intelligent, like a Flavia de Luce novel in film noir garb. The crime-solving duo is a teen who ran away with the circus and talks like Philip Marlowe and a knife-throwing private detective with MS. Someone’s been MURDERED!!! With a crystal ball! At a Halloween Party! Whodunnit?!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
—Phil
Stamped (For Kids)
Adapted by Sonja Cherry-Paul
You loved Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning and Jason Reynolds’ YA adaptation Stamped: Race, Racism, and You; now get ready to share this powerful work with a new world of young readers. Like Kendi’s original work, Stamped (For Kids) makes a distinction between segregationists (“people who hate you for not being like them”), assimilationists (“people who like you only if you act like them”), and antiracists (“They love you because you are you”). Dr. Cherry-Paul expertly breaks down the history of race and racism in language that is accessible, informative, and engaging for older-elementary and middle-school readers.
—Sally
Facing the Mountain
by Daniel James Brown
Vividly told, meticulously researched story of Japanese American young men during WWII. Through the words and actions of specific people he got to know, Brown tells the stories of Pearl Harbor, incarceration, army induction, war, concentration camps, atomic bomb, and reintegrating into society. History comes alive!
—Shirley
Women Street Photographers
Edited by Gulnara Samoilova
Starkly beautiful, intimate, and extraordinarily ordinary — immerse yourself in the world of women street photographers, collected in this volume by Gulnara Samoilova. An essential, remarkable addition to any coffee table, personal library, or (high school or college) classroom.
—Steph
Kim’s Corner
Store Manager Kim reads so much, they couldn’t choose just one favorite for this month!
Too Bright To See
by Kyle Lukoff
Sometimes we need a little help to realize who we really are. This book is perfect for anyone who loves a good, only-kind-of-spooky-but-not-at-all-terrifying ghost story, and is an amazing own-voices self-discovery narrative about a young trans boy approaching middle school and understanding grief.
I could not put this one down!
—Kim
How to Resist Amazon and Why
by Danny Caine
This book dives deep into the many ways amazon negatively affects the world’s data privacy, work culture, and economy. While this book is written by an indie bookseller, it goes far beyond calling out unfair bookselling competition in defense of local economies. The invasive breaches of privacy, data harvesting, work safety deterioration, union retaliation, and misleading publicity are all important reasons to resist reliance on a global, power-hungry behemoth.
—Kim
I AM NOT A WOLF
by Dan Sheehan
A hilarious choose-your-own-adventure for grownups based on the twitter account @SickofWolves. You are definitely not a WOLF. You are a very normal HUMAN. See how far you can get without revealing your true identity (or ugly crying with laughter!)
—Kim
The Secret to Superhuman Strength
by Alison Bechdel
From the brilliant mind of Alison Bechdel (author of Fun Home and Essential Dykes to Watch For) comes the newest meditation on aging and wellness. A graphic memoir told through a series of athletic endeavors seeking out the secret to superhuman strength, we process what it means to experience the ongoing seasons of life.
—Kim
Sorrowland
by Rivers Solomon
This is my favorite book of 2021. Solomon weaves together themes of race, gender, queerness, conspiracy, and survival, to create a truly intense and beautiful book. The pacing is gripping and makes it difficult to put down, but once you do, the deeply complex characters and powerful use of tone stick with you forever.
—Kim
And, because there is – somehow – never enough time to review every new book we love — here’s a few more to consider on your next trip to this is a bookstore!
this is a bookblog 