Shane Burcaw answers questions you were afraid to ask about having a disability and he'll make you laugh while doing it. Shane Burcaw was born with a disease called spinal muscular atrophy, which means his muscles do not develop and he uses a wheelchair to get around and relies on lots of help to do [...]
If you have walked into the library within the last month, you can’t help but notice all of the remodeling taking place along with the eye-catching new technology tool that is strapped to the employees, not only for their convenience but for your own. The customer service representatives of the library now have access to [...]
Speak gets an update and it's perfect for introducing this iconic book to a new generation of readers. Speak (1999; 197 pages) by Laurie Halse Anderson was published almost 20 years ago: a dark, intense story about a high school freshman with a dangerous secret she feels she can't tell anyone. It was a National Book [...]
Have you ever found yourself in need of an audiobook to help distract you from the boring goings on in your life? Maybe something that isn’t part of your normal reading routine? I found myself in this position a few days ago. I’m not saying I was at work, but maybe I was. I logged [...]
Cobalt Squadron Written by Elizabeth Wein Published 2017 251 pages I am a huge Star Wars fan and can't wait for the next movie. To ease some of my anticipation, I decided to read some of the Star Wars books that take place between the movies. I began this reading quest with Star Wars [...]
Last week, the winners of the American Library Association's 2018 Youth Media Awards were announced. You may know them better as the Newbery (for children's book text), Caldecott (for children's book illustrations), and Printz (for teen books) Medals. If you're looking for the best of the best in children's and teen literature, look no further. [...]
Disney’s adaptation of the Newbery-award winning A Wrinkle in Time hits theaters next month. Madeleine L’Engle’s mind-bending sci-fi tale has attracted many fans since its publication in 1962, as has its sequel, A Wind in the Door. But between the publication of these two books, L’Engle published The Arm of the Starfish, a sort-of sequel [...]
With many social justice issues in the news over the past several years, you may be looking for books to help you start a conversation. Here are a few recent teen books written about social justice issues that will definitely get teens (and the adults who care about them) talking. The Hate U Give [...]
Hot off the presses and straight to your library! Here are five great NEW picture books by African American authors and illustrators: Crown: An Ode to the Fresh Cut by Derrick D. Barnes; illustrated by Gordon C. James (2017) Nothing compares to the confidence you feel after a fresh haircut. This ode to feeling [...]
This cute and funny romance will hit the spot with middle graders who want to read YA or teens looking for gentle romance. I Believe in a Thing Called Love by Maurene Goo (2017; 325 pages). Korean American Desi Lee is great at a lot of things. She's president of her class and valedictorian. She's [...]