September is Deaf Awareness Month

"September is Dear Awareness Month" Pictures of ASL spelling provided.

All of these books are available in the Uni High Library and are currently on display in front of the Circulation Desk!

 

A Quiet Kind of Thunder by Sara Barnard; Fiction B256qu

Steffi has been a selective mute for most of her life – she’s been silent for so long that she feels completely invisible. But Rhys, the new boy at school, sees her. He’s deaf, and her knowledge of basic sign language means that she’s assigned to look after him. To Rhys, it doesn’t matter that Steffi doesn’t talk, and as they find ways to communicate, Steffi finds that she does have a voice, and that she’s falling in love with the one person who makes her feel brave enough to use it.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Silence Between Us by Gervais, Alison; Fiction G329si

Deaf teen Maya moves across the country and must attend a hearing school for the first time. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she also has to adjust to the hearing culture, which she finds frustrating—and also surprising when some classmates, including Beau Watson, take time to learn ASL. As Maya looks past graduation and focuses on her future dreams, nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will derail her pursuits. But when people in her life—deaf and hearing alike—ask her to question parts of her deaf identity, Maya stands proudly, never giving in to the idea that her deafness is a disadvantage.

 

 

 

 

Hello, Universe by Erin Entrada Kelly; Fiction K2959he

In one day, four lives weave together in unexpected ways. Virgil Salinas is shy and kindhearted and feels out of place in his loud and boisterous family. Valencia Somerset, who is deaf, is smart, brave, and secretly lonely, and loves everything about nature. Kaori Tanaka is a self-proclaimed psychic, whose little sister Gen is always following her around. And Chet Bullens wishes the weird kids would just act normal so that he can concentrate on basketball. They aren’t friends — at least not until Chet pulls a prank that traps Virgil and his pet guinea pig at the bottom of a well. This disaster leads Kaori, Gen, and Valencia on an epic quest to find the missing Virgil. Through luck, smarts, bravery, and a little help from the universe, a rescue is performed, a bully is put in his place, and friendship blooms.

 

 

There Will be Lies by Nick Lake; Fiction L148t

In four hours, Shelby Jane Cooper will be struck by a car. Shortly after, she and her mother will leave the hospital and set out on a winding journey toward the Grand Canyon. All Shelby knows is that they’re running from dangers only her mother understands. And the further they travel, the more Shelby questions everything about her past—and her current reality. Forced to take advantage of the kindness of unsuspecting travelers, Shelby grapples with what’s real, what isn’t, and who she can trust . . . if anybody.

 

 

 

 

 

A Silent Voice by Ōima, Yoshitoki; GN Oi5si

Shoya is a bully. When Shoko, a girl who can’t hear, enters his elementary school class, she becomes their favorite target, and Shoya and his friends goad each other into devising new tortures for her. But the children’s cruelty goes too far. Shoko is forced to leave the school, and Shoya ends up shouldering all the blame. Six years later, the two meet again. Can Shoya make up for his past mistakes, or is it too late?

 

 

 

 

 

 

I Hear the Sunspot by Yuki Fumino; GN F961he

Because of a hearing disability, Kohei is often misunderstood and has trouble integrating into life on campus, so he learns to keep his distance. That is until he meets the outspoken and cheerful Taichi. He tells Kohei that his hearing loss is not his fault. Taichi’s words cut through Kohei’s usual defense mechanisms and open his heart. More than friends, less than lovers, their relationship changes Kohei forever.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Signing: How to Speak with Your Hands by Elaine Costello and Lois A. Lehman; 419 C824S

American Sign Language is a wonderful silent language of hands, face, and body that is rich with nuance, emotion, and grace. Bantam is proud to present the newly revised Signing : How To Speak With Your Hands, a comprehensive and easy-to-use guide that has long been the invaluable and definitive guide for families, friends, and professionals who need to communicate effectively with deaf children and adults. Now this expanded edition, with redesigned interiors and updated material, includes even more signs; large, upper-torso illustrations clearly show formation and movement of the hands, and their relation to the face and body. All the beautifully illustrated signs are accompanied by precise, easy-to-follow instructions on how to form them. This complete guide includes chapters on common phrases, the alphabet, foods and eating, health, recreation, and the newest chapter covering technology, politics. education, and music.

 

The American Sign Language Handshape Dictionary by Richard A Tennant, Marianne Gluszak Broown; 419 T255a

An Introduction to Deaf Culture and ASL Structure. This unique reference can help users locate a sign whose meaning they have forgotten, or help them find the meaning of a new sign they have just seen for the first time. It organizes more than 1,900 ASL signs by 40 basic handshapes and includes detailed descriptions on how to form these signs to represent the different English words that they might mean. ASL students can begin to track down a sign by determining whether it is formed with one hand or two. Further distinctions of handshape, palm orientation, location, movement, and other nonmanual body signals help them pinpoint their search while also refining their grasp of ASL syntax and grammar. A complete English word index provides the option of referring to an alphabetical listing of English terms to locate an equivalent sign or choice of signs.

 

Deaf Republic: Poems by Ilya Kaminsky; 811 K1288de

Ilya Kaminsky’s astonishing parable in poems asks us, What is silence? Deaf Republic opens in an occupied country in a time of political unrest. When soldiers breaking up a protest kill a deaf boy, Petya, the gunshot becomes the last thing the citizens hear–they all have gone deaf, and their dissent becomes coordinated by sign language. The story follows the private lives of townspeople encircled by public violence: a newly married couple, Alfonso and Sonya, expecting a child; the brash Momma Galya, instigating the insurgency from her puppet theater; and Galya’s girls, heroically teaching signing by day and by night luring soldiers one by one to their deaths behind the curtain. At once a love story, an elegy, and an urgent plea, Ilya Kaminsky’s long-awaited Deaf Republic confronts our time’s vicious atrocities and our collective silence in the face of them.

 

Children of a Lesser God: A Play in Two Acts by Mark Medoff; 812 M4692c1980

Children of a Lesser God was written specifically for deaf actress Phyllis Frelich, and based in part on her real-life relationship with her husband. In the story, an idealistic teacher at a State School for the Deaf falls in love with a woman who has been deaf since birth. She was once a student there, but is now a maid, and would rather clean bathrooms in silence than learn to speak. But she falls in love with the teacher, and together they have to find a place of communication between the hearing and the deaf, between sign language and speech.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Latinx Heritage Month Display

Happy Latinx Heritage Month! If you’re looking for a book about Latinx characters by a Latinx author to read this month, we’d love to recommend a few. From science fiction to realistic fiction to historical fiction, fantasy to romance, and poetry to prose, Latinx authors are (and have been) putting out amazing work in every genre and style you can imagine.

Digital Display of Latinx Heritage Month books-- booklist is below!

Here’s the titles and their current availability– almost all are available from the Uni Library!

Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo Ac37cl (on reserve)

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo ac37po

What if It’s Us by Becky Albertalli and Adam Silvera AL146wh

Labyrinth Lost by Zaraida Córdova C8123la

Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas Available from CPL

Jazz Owls by Margarita Engle En35ja

Sia Martinez and the Moonlit Beginning of Everything by Raquel Vasquez Gilliland Available from CPL/UFL

Shadowshaper by Daniel Jose Older Ol17s

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz Coming to Uni soon! and Available from CPL/UFL

Photographic : the life of Graciela Iturbide by Isabel Quintero 770.92 Q458ph

Juliet Takes a Breath by Gabby Rivera R5243ju

They Both Die at the End by Adam SIlvera SI394t

Here’s a couple of our favorites:

Salty, Bitter, Sweet by Mayra Cuevas is an excellent romance-ish novel with some unique elements. Part-Cuban Isabella Fields has a passion for cooking, and isn’t going to let anything stand in they way of winning the internship of her dreams. Not even Diego, no matter how cute he may be. But what if her dreams don’t match the reality of being a chef? This was a really good, cute read, and the amazingly detailed cooking scenes make the book very vivid (and educational!)

Blazewrath Games by Amparo Ortiz also has a teenage female protagonist who knows what her dreams are– but Lana Torres dreams about being chased up a mountain by fire-breathing dragons! Ever since the first Puerto Rican dragons emerged from the island itself, Lana has wanted nothing but to be the Runner for Puerto Rico’s Blazewrath team, and it’s not too much of a spoiler to say that she gets her wish. Like Isabella, though, Lana soon finds her dreams were a lot simpler than reality. Set in a fresh fantasy world where only a few have magical abilities, but ‘Regulars’ know all about them, this novel is the perfect thing for Harry Potter fans who find themselves less into Harry Potter after, well, you know. If you liked Quidditch, you’ll love Blazewrath! I (Charlie) just finished this one this week (got it this week too, which says good things about it), and will have a more in-depth review up early next week.

 

 

 

From Far Away: Fiction About Connections Over Distance

Display Board of books. Book list is replicated in the post below

Hello! I’m Charlie, and I’m the new graduate assistant for the Uni Library for the 2020-2021 school year. This is also my first year in the U of I’s iSchool school library licensure program, and as it happens I’m also a Uni High alum (class of 2011).

Lately, reading has been an important source of human connection for me. Like so many of us, I’m doing my best to not get or spread COVID, but it’s been difficult not being able to see my friends or family. I know for high school students, too, things are weird– you get all of the boring parts of high school through Zoom, without any of the socializing. When I’ve been lonely, I’ve been escaping into books, particularly re-reading old favorites.

I don’t need to tell you what your old favorite books are, though, so I thought I’d put together a collection of books about people in similar spots. Whether as friends, more-than-friends, or alien-exploring-the-ruins-of-a-dead-race, these books are all about characters who make meaningful connections to others that aren’t in front of them. Through email, through video games, through letters, the characters in these stories find that, even when they’re not in front of you, other people can still touch your life.

Though all of these are great reads, I think a couple are particularly cool. Illuminae is a sci-fi thriller about two teens in a spacefleet on the run from a shady corporation. While they knew each other before, they’re now on two separate ships, messaging back and forth as they try to unravel the mysterious things happening around them. The stakes in the book get higher and higher as it goes on, and the authors make some avant garde choices beyond regular text-setting that I think really work.

Griffin & Sabine makes some avant garde choices as well, but takes it a step farther. The plot unfolds through letters back and forth between the characters, but the letters aren’t just printed in the book- there are separate letters tucked into the book you can pull out! It’s a cool enough book that the U of I’s Rare Book and Manuscript Library decided to tuck one away, so don’t miss this one.

Finally, Outer Wilds is… not a book?!?! Yes, I am in fact recommending a video game. It’s a game not quite like any other: the only way you make ‘progress’ through the game is by learning. With an absolute minimum of tutorial, you’re set loose to explore a small solar system and unlock its mysteries. There’s no keys to find, no power-ups to unlock,  only knowledge. What drew me to include it is the relationship between the player and an ancient race, the Nomai. There are no Nomai left in the galaxy– only their writing remains, and as you explore the miniature planets you genuinely come to know these long-dead aliens, in the same way you get to know a book character. While I’m unlikely to be putting League of Legends on a library display soon, Outer Wilds was such a readerly game that I couldn’t help but put it alongside books.

Here’s a list of the books pictured above. While requesting books from us is a little bit tricky right now, it is doable! Get in touch with me, Ms. Arnold, or Paul if you want help getting your hands on a physical copy of these. Many of these are available from the public libraries as well, either physically or in digital formats.

Illuminae by Amie Kaufman and Kay Kristoff (Uni High Call # K162i1)

Griffin and Sabine by Nick Bantock (Uni High Call # B2282gr)

Paper Towns by John Green (Uni High Call # G823p)

Red, White, and Royal Blue by Casey McQuiston (Uni High Call # M4599re)

Don’t Read the Comments (Available from Urbana and Champaign public libraries)

Emergency Contact by Mary H.K. Choi (Uni High Call # C4522em)

Call Down the Hawk by Maggie Stiefvater (Uni High Call # St522ca)

Simon vs The Homosapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli (Uni High Call # Al146s)

The Outer Wilds (For PC, PS4, and XB1)

 

 

Celebrate Pride: Books with LGBTQ+ Characters

The background image of this graphic is creased brown paper. In the top right-hand corner there is a stamp with the Pride flag. In the center, text reads "Celebrate Pride: Books with LGBTQ plus Characters." There are book covers pasted on the graphic, which are listed in the blog post.
Book covers are organized in order of the list below from left to right.

Happy Pride month! Although we should read books celebrating pride all year, I wanted to make a list of books that feature LGBTQ+ characters before June ends! One book on this list, All Boys Aren’t Blue, is a nonfiction book written by a Black queer author. These books represent various experiences on the Pride spectrum and immerse readers into contemporary, fantasy, and drawn worlds. I personally recommend Little & Lion, a story about a bisexual Black and Jewish girl navigating the changing relationship with her brother amidst conversations of mental illness. Clap When You Land also features family relationships as two girls discover they are sisters when their father dies in a plane crash and it is revealed he had two families. Another book on this list I enjoyed is Bingo Love, a comic spanning generations about two women who fell in love as teens and then reconnect as older adults.

I am working on individual reviews of a couple of these books, and I invite you to do the same! Shoot me an email if you’d like to write a review on Uni Reads for any of these books. Have a favorite book not on this list? We’d love to post it.

If you’d like more book lists and content, check out YA Pride, a blog advocating for inclusive and affirming content in YA Lit.

I made note of where you can find online copies through OverDrive and Hoopla via the Champaign Public Library and Urbana Free Library. If you need help finding books at your local library or with anything else, don’t hesitate to ask!

Please note: Books that are available as physical copies through the Uni High Library are noted with a call number in case you reference this list once we are able to return to campus. Some of these books are on order and we will update the call number ASAP.

  • Felix Ever After by Kacen Callendar (Audiobook & eBook on Overdrive)
  • Running with Lions by Julian Winters (eBook on Hoopla)
    • Call # Fiction W736ru
  • Little & Lion by Brandy Colbert (Audiobook & eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction C671li
  • Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo (Audiobook & eBook on Overdrive)
  • Check, Please! Book 1, #Hockey! by Ngozi Ukazu (eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # GN Uk1ch
    • You can also find this as a webcomic here.
  • All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson (Audiobook on Hoopla & Overdrive) (eBook on Overdrive)
  • The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow (Audiobook on Hoopla) (eBook on Overdrive)
  • You Should See Me in a Crown by Leah Johnson (Audiobook on Hoopla)
  • Let’s Talk About Love by Claire Kann (eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction K1331le
  • Bingo Love by Tee Franklin (eBook on Hoopla)
    • Call # GN F8548b
  • Pet by Akwaeke Emezi (Audiobook & eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction Em369pe

Uplifting Black Stories: Fiction Books by Black Authors

This is an illustration by Casey Moses of a few YA fiction books by Black authors.
This is an illustration by Casey Moses (@_thebookcase on Instagram). The order of the books listed below is determined by the illustration, top to bottom, left to right.

Nic Stone (author of Dear Martin, Odd One Out, and Jackpot) urged readers in an Instagram post to read beyond books about racism and “also read books about explicitly black people– especially black kids– just being human. Doing things humans are allowed to do in our imaginations: falling in love, dealing with illness, navigating time travel, questioning other aspects of their identities, saving their country, fighting with their parents.”

In response, Casey Moses (@_thebookcase on Instagram) illustrated a stack of YA fiction books written by Black authors across various genres, including contemporary, romance, fantasy, and LGBTQ stories. These books showcase everyday life, the fantastical, and the brilliant imagination of Black people. I’ve listed below the titles illustrated in the graphic.

I made note of where you can find online copies through OverDrive and Hoopla via the Champaign Public Library and Urbana Free Library. If you need help finding books at your local library or with anything else, don’t hesitate to ask!

Please note: Books that are available as physical copies through the Uni High Library are noted with a call number in case you reference this list once we are able to return to campus.

  • Dear Martin by Nic Stone (Audiobook and eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction St722de
  • The Opposite of Always by Justin A. Reynolds (Audiobook on Hoopla and Overdrive) (eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction R3355op
  • With the Fire on High by Elizabeth Acevedo (Audiobook and eBook on Hoopla and OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Ac37wi
  • Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett (Audiobook and eBook on Overdrive)
    • Call # Fiction G1922fu
  • Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson with lyrics by Malik “Malik-16” Sharif (Audiobook and eBook on Hoopla and OverDrive)

Post by Cynthia

Bookish Playlist: Music-themed Books

A graphic of music-themed books with the covers cropped as squares to look like music albums in a playlist. The words "Uni High is listening to: Bookish Playlist" are along the top.
Book covers are organized in order of the list below from left to right.

Lately, I’ve taken to playing a song to get me up and ready for the day, maybe with a quick dance session to get my energy up! I’ve had “Sunday Best” by Surfaces stuck in head. The music video is super cheesy, but it was just the type of thing to put a smile on my face during these weird times.

So, for you music lovers out there or for anyone looking for a new book to read, I put together this “playlist” of books that are music-themed. Hope you find something to read and perhaps new music to listen to.

I made note of where you can find online copies through OverDrive and Hoopla via the Champaign Public Library and Urbana Free Library. If you need help finding books at your local library or with anything else, don’t hesitate to ask!

Please note: Books that are available as physical copies through the Uni High Library are noted with a call number in case you reference this list once we are able to return to campus or want to request for pickup by May 15th at midnight. 

  • Solo by Kwame Alexander with Mary Rand Hess (Audibook and eBook on Hoopla and OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Al272s
  • Spin by Lamar Giles (Audiobook on Hoopla)
    • Call # Fiction G392sp
  • The Wicked + The Divine by Kieron Gillen (eBook on Hoopla)
    • Call # GN G412w1
  • Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes (eBook on OverDrive)
  • Let Me Hear a Rhyme by Tiffany D. Jackson with lyrics by Malik “Malik-16” Sharif (Audiobook and eBook on Hoopla and OverDrive)
  • Spider-Gwen, Vol. 0: Most Wanted? by Jason Latour (Writer) and Robbi Rodriguez (Artist) (eBook on Hoopla)
    • Call # GN L351sp
  • Famous in a Small Town by Emma Mills (Audiobook on Hoopla)
    • Call # Fiction M625fa
  • Echo by Pam Muñoz Ryan (Audiobook and eBook on OverDrive)
  • This Savage Song by Victoria Schwab (Audiobook and eBook on Hoopla and OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Sch91m1
  • Behind the Song edited by K.M. Walton; foreward by Ameriie (eBook on Hoopla)
    • Call # 814.54 B3951
  • Love & Luck by Jenna Evans Welch (Audiobook and eBook on OverDrive)

Post by Cynthia

Ramadan Reads: Books By and About Muslim People

This image is a collage of book covers for the books listed as recommendations for Ramadan Reads.
Book covers are organized in order of the list below, from top to bottom, left to right.

While staying safe at home, you might be looking for books to read, so the library wanted to put together a list of online resources to access books and recommend a few titles. This time around, I wanted to share books by and about Muslim people in honor of Ramadan, which began April 23 and will end May 23.

There is a limited selection of popular titles in audiobook and eBook format through the University, so I’ve had to focus on titles that can be accessed through public libraries. Many public libraries use OverDrive and Hoopla for their online collections. Once checked out, you can read/ listen to the books on a desktop computer, laptop, tablet or e-reader, or even on your phone using the appropriate app! I searched the Champaign Public Library and Urbana Free Library catalogs to round up these titles and I have indicated in paranthesis which format is available and on which app.

Please note: You need a public library card to check out books. 

If you do not have a public library card and/or your local library is not in Champaign or Urbana, please do not hesistate to contact us for help with:

  • Getting an electronic public library card.
  • Navigating the online collections at your library.

Whatever the case is, ask for help and you shall recieve it!

Now without further ado, here is my list of recommended reads.

Please note: Books that are available as physical copies through the Uni High Library are noted with a call number in case you reference this list once we are able to return to campus.

Fiction

  • Down and Across by Arvin Ahmadi – (Audiobook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Ah519do
  • Girl Gone Viral by Arvin Ahmadi – (eBook on OverDrive)
  • Internment by Samira Ahmed – (Audiobook and Ebook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Ah52in
  • All American Muslim Girl by Nadine Jolie Courtney (Audiobook on Hoopla & OverDrive) (eBook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction C8359al
  • Exit West by Mohsin Hamid – (Audiobook & Ebook on OverDrive)
    • Call #Fiction H1801ex
  • The Love And Lies Of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan— (Audiobook on Hoopla) (eBook on OverDrive)
  • A Very Large Expanse of Sea by Tahereh Mafi – (Audiobook on Hoopla & OverDrive) (eBook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction M269ve
  • I Hope You Get This Message by Farah Naz Rishi – (Audiobook on Hoopla) (Ebook on Hoopla & OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction R493i
  • Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed— (Ebook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Sa163w
  • Tell Me How You Really Feel by Aminah Mae Safi – (eBook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction Sa178te
  • An Ember in the Ashes by Sabaa Tahir (Audiobook and eBook on OverDrive)
    • Call # Fiction T13e
  • Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga – (eBook on Hoopla)

Nonfiction

  • We Too Sing America: South Asian, Arab, Muslim, and Sikh Immigrants Shape Our Multiracial Future by Deepa Iyer – (ebook on Hoopla and OverDrive)
    • Call # 305.8009730905 Iy1w
  • We Are Displaced: My Journey and Stories from Refugee Girls Around the World by Malala Yousafzai— (eBook on OverDrive)

Graphic Novels

  • That Can Be Arranged: A Muslim Love Story by Huda Fahmy (Ebook on OverDrive)
  • Muslim Girls Rise: Inspirational Champions Of Our Time by Saira Mir (Audiobook and Movie on Hoopla)
    • Please note: This is a picture book, but I watched the movie version on Hoopla and it was oddly soothing and very informational! ?
  • Ms. Marvel, Vol.1 by G. Willow Wilson – (eComic on Hoopla and OverDrive)
    • Call #GN W6933m1

Post by Cynthia

Full Disclosure by Camryn Garrett

“Simone Garcia-Hampton is starting over at a new school, and this time things will be different. She’s making real friends, making a name for herself as student director of Rent, and making a play for Miles, the guy who makes her melt every time he walks into a room. The last thing she wants is for word to get out that she’s HIV-positive, because last time . . . well, last time things got ugly.

Keeping her viral load under control is easy, but keeping her diagnosis under wraps is not so simple. As Simone and Miles start going out for real–shy kisses escalating into much more–she feels an uneasiness that goes beyond butterflies. She knows she has to tell him that she’s positive, especially if sex is a possibility, but she’s terrified of how he’ll react! And then she finds an anonymous note in her locker: I know you have HIV. You have until Thanksgiving to stop hanging out with Miles. Or everyone else will know too.

Simone’s first instinct is to protect her secret at all costs, but as she gains a deeper understanding of the prejudice and fear in her community, she begins to wonder if the only way to rise above is to face the haters head-on.” – Goodreads

Garrett captures the insecurity, turmoil, sweetness, and excitement of first love and building close friendships in a respectful, honest, and deeply caring way. This book is unique in its subject matter, and I found it informational without being preachy or heavy-handed. Alternatively, it broke down stigmas, which I believe will lead to more stories about teens who are HIV-positive just living life. Simone and her friends, Claudia and Lydia, read in an authentic, age-appropriate, and relatable voice, not shying away from any topics. There were unabashed conversations about sex, and the characters encompassed a diverse array of sexual identities and experiences that felt open-ended and explorative rather than neatly defined and cemented.

One issue I came across was that we never meet Claudia and Lydia’s partners despite them coming up in conversation frequently. They seemed like icebreakers to bring up the topics the girls wanted to discuss about their relationship struggles instead of fleshed out characters affecting the plot. Since Claudia is asexual and frankly discusses the pressure she feels from her girlfriend to do sexual things, I think teens would benefit from dialogue and interaction to process a very real issue ace folks experience. As it stands, there’s room to make one’s own judgements about the couple’s relationship and Claudia’s experience. Readers curious about sex and invested in relationship-driven stories will enjoy Full Disclosure. Fans of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda and Little & Lion will be swept into the drama and consequences of secrets spilled.

Call # Fiction G1922fu

Review by Cynthia

 

Laura Dean Keeps Breaking Up with Me by Mariko Tamaki, Rosemary Valero-O’Connell (Illustrator)

Freddie Riley is in love with Laura Dean, the most popular, dreamiest, and charismatic girl in school, but there’s a few problems: Laura isn’t all that nice to her. Full of desperation after Laura breaks her heart again, Freddie begins writing to advice columnist, Anna Vice, framing the story through these emails. Despite the sound advice from her best friend, Doodle, and local mystic, Seek-Her, Freddie can’t seem to give up on her toxic relationship, even at the cost of her closest friendship. Throughout the book, Freddie isolates herself and becomes a bad friend.  She must realize the person she’s dating brings out the worst in her. This heartfelt graphic novel follows Freddie’s journey of re-learning how to show up for her friends (and herself).

The muted pinks bursting across the black and white sketches are raw, making readers empathize with intense emotions. Much like Mariko Tamaki’s previous works (This One Summer and Skim), this snapshot delves into an experience that alters a girl’s self-perception and opens opportunity for growth. There isn’t a dramatic crescendo for plot, but rather continuous moments of deep introspection. You keep wondering “will she, won’t she?” as it offers convincing portrayals of a queer teen girl making choices and finding herself. Tamaki and O-Connell succeed in representing racially diverse LBGTQ characters in a way that feels natural and layered. While this novel promotes universal experiences of first love, heartbreak, and friendship, the queer characters bring a refreshing perspective and send a powerful message, especially regarding Laura and Freddie’s unhealthy relationship. It gifts LGBTQ readers with open conversations about their experiences in a genuine and touching way. Audiences who enjoy highly emotional and realistic stories will appreciate this sad, but soft (oh so soft) book.

Side note: The plushies that sent little messages were so cute.

Call #GN T15la

Review by Cynthia

March: Book 1 by by John Lewis, Andrew Aydin (Co-writer), Nate Powell (Artist)

“Congressman John Lewis (GA-5) is an American icon, one of the key figures of the civil rights movement. His commitment to justice and nonviolence has taken him from an Alabama sharecropper’s farm to the halls of Congress, from a segregated schoolroom to the 1963 March on Washington, and from receiving beatings from state troopers to receiving the Medal of Freedom from the first African-American president.

March is a vivid first-hand account of John Lewis’ lifelong struggle for civil and human rights, meditating in the modern age on the distance traveled since the days of Jim Crow and segregation. Rooted in Lewis’ personal story, it also reflects on the highs and lows of the broader civil rights movement.

Book One spans John Lewis’ youth in rural Alabama, his life-changing meeting with Martin Luther King, Jr., the birth of the Nashville Student Movement, and their battle to tear down segregation through nonviolent lunch counter sit-ins, building to a stunning climax on the steps of City Hall.
Many years ago, John Lewis and other student activists drew inspiration from the 1950s comic book ‘Martin Luther King and the Montgomery Story.’ Now, his own comics bring those days to life for a new audience, testifying to a movement whose echoes will be heard for generations.” – Goodreads

This is a must-read graphic novel series. The illustrations are a perfect blend of realism and dreamy artwork. Powell took on the task of depicting Civil Rights giants with such care, consideration, and thoughtfulness. The story is framed by Lewis’s experience at Obama’s first inauguration, an interesting device that reminds the reader who far we’ve come – and yet how far there is still to go.

Call #GN L58m

Review by Vicki