Welcome to National Poetry Month!

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

A young girl in Harlem discovers slam poetry as a way to understand her mother’s religion and her own relationship to the world. Debut novel of renowned slam poet Elizabeth Acevedo.

Xiomara Batista feels unheard and unable to hide in her Harlem neighborhood. Ever since her body grew into curves, she has learned to let her fists and her fierceness do the talking.

But Xiomara has plenty she wants to say, and she pours all her frustration and passion onto the pages of a leather notebook, reciting the words to herself like prayers—especially after she catches feelings for a boy in her bio class named Aman, who her family can never know about. With Mami’s determination to force her daughter to obey the laws of the church, Xiomara understands that her thoughts are best kept to herself.

So when she is invited to join her school’s slam poetry club, she doesn’t know how she could ever attend without her mami finding out, much less speak her words out loud. But still, she can’t stop thinking about performing her poems.

Because in the face of a world that may not want to hear her, Xiomara refuses to be silent.

 

Spring Reading!

 

If there's one thing I will always recommend to you all, it's SORA. I love reading e-books and listening to audiobooks for the convenience of it. Please follow this link to check out how to access SORA and even add the Fresno County Library onto your account to get even more titles!

CLICK HERE!

Monthly Staff Picks!

 Matt had this wonderful idea for us to share which books in our library we have read and would recommend to others! For the month of March, he picked Love in English by Maria E. Andreu and I chose We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson.

       

Love in English by Maria E. Andreu

A fresh, joyful YA novel that is layered with themes of immigration, cultural identity, and finding your voice in any language. 

Sixteen-year-old Ana is a poet and a lover of language. Except that since she moved to New Jersey from Argentina, she can barely find the words to express how she feels.

At first Ana just wants to return home. Then she meets Harrison, the very cute, very American boy in her math class, and discovers the universal language of racing hearts. But when she begins to spend time with Neo, the Greek Cypriot boy from ESL, Ana wonders how figuring out what her heart wants can be even more confusing than the grammar they’re both trying to master. After all, the rules of English may be confounding, but there are no rules when it comes to love.

With playful and poetic breakouts exploring the idiosyncrasies of the English language, Love in English is witty and effervescent, while telling a beautifully observed story about what it means to become “American.” 

We Are the Ants by Shaun David Hutchinson

From the “author to watch” (Kirkus Reviews) of The Five Stages of Andrew Brawley comes an “equal parts sarcastic and profound” (Kirkus Reviews, starred review) novel about a teenage boy who must decide whether or not the world is worth saving.

Henry Denton has spent years being periodically abducted by aliens. Then the aliens give him an ultimatum: The world will end in 144 days, and all Henry has to do to stop it is push a big red button.

Only he isn’t sure he wants to.

After all, life hasn’t been great for Henry. His mom is a struggling waitress held together by a thin layer of cigarette smoke. His brother is a jobless dropout who just knocked someone up. His grandmother is slowly losing herself to Alzheimer’s. And Henry is still dealing with the grief of his boyfriend’s suicide last year.

Wiping the slate clean sounds like a pretty good choice to him.

But Henry is a scientist first, and facing the question thoroughly and logically, he begins to look for pros and cons: in the bully who is his perpetual one-night stand, in the best friend who betrayed him, in the brilliant and mysterious boy who walked into the wrong class. Weighing the pain and the joy that surrounds him, Henry is left with the ultimate choice: push the button and save the planet and everyone on it…or let the world—and his pain—be destroyed forever.

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

 

Miles Morales: Spider-Man by Jason Reynolds

“Everyone gets mad at hustlers, especially if you’re on the victim side of the hustle. And Miles knew hustling was in his veins.”

Miles Morales is just your average teenager. Dinner every Sunday with his parents, chilling out playing old-school video games with his best friend, Ganke, crushing on brainy, beautiful poet Alicia. He’s even got a scholarship spot at the prestigious Brooklyn Visions Academy. Oh yeah, and he’s Spider Man.

But lately, Miles’s spidey-sense has been on the fritz. When a misunderstanding leads to his suspension from school, Miles begins to question his abilities. After all, his dad and uncle were Brooklyn jack-boys with criminal records. Maybe kids like Miles aren’t meant to be superheroes. Maybe Miles should take his dad’s advice and focus on saving himself.

As Miles tries to get his school life back on track, he can’t shake the vivid nightmares that continue to haunt him. Nor can he avoid the relentless buzz of his spidey-sense every day in history class, amidst his teacher’s lectures on the historical benefits of slavery and the modern-day prison system. But after his scholarship is threatened, Miles uncovers a chilling plot, one that puts his friends, his neighborhood, and himself at risk.

It’s time for Miles to suit up.

Reviews

"A thrilling joyride through the streets of Brooklyn. Jason Reynolds's fresh voice and unflinching truth-telling bring a whole new vitality to the Spider-Man story. Absolutely brilliant."―Daniel José Older, New York Times best-selling author of Shadowshaper

"Equal parts hero and heart, this is the Spidey we want and need,"―Margaret Stohl, #1 New York Times best-selling author of Black Widow: Forever Red

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia & Gabriel Picolo

 

Teen Titans: Raven by Kami Garcia & Gabriel Picolo 

When a tragic accident takes the life of 17-year-old Raven Roth's foster mom--and Raven's memory--she moves to New Orleans to recover and finish her senior year of high school.

Starting over isn't easy. Raven remembers everyday stuff like how to solve math equations and make pasta, but she can't remember her favorite song or who she was before the accident. And when impossible things start happening, Raven begins to think it might even be better not to know who she was before.

But as she grows closer to her new friends, her foster sister, Max, and Tommy Torres, a guy who accepts her for who she is now, Raven has to decide if she's ready to face what's buried in the past...and the darkness building inside her.

From #1 New York Times bestselling author Kami Garcia and first-time graphic novel artist Gabriel Picolo comes this riveting tale of finding the strength to face who you are and learning to trust others--and yourself.

"Kami Garcia shows off her stellar storytelling skills in this fantastic first installment of Teen Titans. Once you start reading Teen Titans: Raven, you won’t want to stop.” —Stephanie Garber, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Caraval series

“I continue to be inspired by Kami Garcia’s authenticity and keen ability to create raw and empowering stories full of strength, truth, and love.” — Jennifer Niven, New York Times bestselling author of All the Bright Places and Holding Up the Universe 

Accountable

Accountable: The True Story of a Racist Social Media Account

 and the Teenagers Whose Lives It Changed

When a high school student started a private Instagram account that used racist and sexist memes to make his friends laugh, he thought of it as “edgy” humor. Over time, the edge got sharper. Then a few other kids found out about the account. Pretty soon, everyone knew.

Ultimately no one in the small town of Albany, California, was safe from the repercussions of the account’s discovery. Not the girls targeted by the posts. Not the boy who created the account. Not the group of kids who followed it. Not the adults―educators and parents―whose attempts to fix things too often made them worse.

In the end, no one was laughing. And everyone was left asking: Where does accountability end for online speech that harms? And what does accountability even mean?

Award-winning and New York Times–bestselling author Dashka Slater has written a must-read book for our era that explores the real-world consequences of online choices.

More Awards and Accolades for Accountable:

Russell Freedman Award Winner

Northern California Book Award Winner

CALIBA's Golden Poppy Book Award Winner

An Evergreen Teen Book Award High School Nominee

A SCBWI Golden Kite Honor for Nonfiction Text for Older Readers

An Illinois Lincoln Readers' Choice Award Nominee

A Maryland Black-Eyed Susan Book Award High School Category Nominee

A Pennsylvania Young Reader's Choice Award Nominee

A Massachusetts Teen Choice Book Award Nominee

A Vermont Green Mountain Book Award Nominee

A Texas Topaz Reading List Selection

A Texas Library Association TAYSHAS Top Ten Book

A Florida Teens Read List Selection

A Missouri Association of School Librarians Dogwood Reading List Selection

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

 

Dear Martin by Nic Stone

Raw, captivating, and undeniably real, Nic Stone joins industry giants Jason Reynolds and Walter Dean Myers as she boldly tackles American race relations in this stunning #1 New York Times bestselling debut, a William C. Morris Award Finalist.

Justyce McAllister is a good kid, an honor student, and always there to help a friend—but none of that matters to the police officer who just put him in handcuffs. Despite leaving his rough neighborhood behind, he can't escape the scorn of his former peers or the ridicule of his new classmates.

Justyce looks to the teachings of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. for answers. But do they hold up anymore? He starts a journal to Dr. King to find out.

Then comes the day Justyce goes driving with his best friend, Manny, windows rolled down, music turned up—way up, sparking the fury of a white off-duty cop beside them. Words fly. Shots are fired. Justyce and Manny are caught in the crosshairs. In the media fallout, it's Justyce who is under attack.

I can confirm that this is one of the most popular books in our library and is almost always checked out! It's also one of the many available titles our students read in their freshmen English classes, so I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy this book at some point. 

Check out the other titles in the Dear Martin series, all available in our library!

Blackout: A Novel by Various Authors

 

Blackout: A Novel by by Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, 

Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon

Six critically acclaimed, bestselling, and award-winning authors bring the glowing warmth and electricity of Black teens in love to this charming, hilarious, and heartwarming novel that shines a bright light through the dark.

A summer heatwave blankets New York City in darkness. But as the city is thrown into confusion, a different kind of electricity sparks…

A first meeting. 

Long-time friends. 

Bitter exes. 

And maybe the beginning of something new.

When the lights go out, people reveal hidden truths. Love blossoms, friendship transforms, and new possibilities take flight.

Beloved authors—Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon—celebrate the beauty of six couples and the unforgettable magic that can be found on a sweltering starry night in the city.

Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel

Ghost Boys: The Graphic Novel by Jewell Parker Rhodes, Illustrated by Setor Fiadzigbey

Experience Jewell Parker Rhodes's award-winning storytelling in this tender yet visceral graphic novel adaptation of her New York Times bestselling novel, with poignant illustrations by Setor Fiadzigbey.

Twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a police officer who mistakes his toy gun for a real threat. As a ghost, he observes the devastation that is unleashed on his family and community in the wake of this unjust and brutal killing.

Soon Jerome meets another ghost: Emmett Till, a boy from a very different time but similar circumstances. Emmett helps Jerome process what has happened, on a journey toward recognizing how historical racism may have led to the events that ended his life. Jerome also meets Sarah, the daughter of the police officer who shot him, as she grapples with her father's actions.

Now gorgeously a graphic novel with gripping artwork from Black Panther illustrator Setor Fiadzigbey, Ghost Boys once again deftly explores the historical and sociopolitical layers involved in how children and families face the complexities of today’s world—and how one boy, in particular, comes to understand American Blackness in the aftermath of his own death.

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

 

Death at Morning House by Maureen Johnson

From the bestselling author of the Truly Devious books, Maureen Johnson, comes a new stand-alone YA about a teen who uncovers a mystery while working as a tour guide on an island and must solve it before history repeats itself.

The fire wasn’t Marlowe Wexler’s fault. Dates should be hot, but not hot enough to warrant literal firefighters. Akilah, the girl Marlowe has been in love with for years, will never go out with her again. No one dates an accidental arsonist.

With her house-sitting career up in flames, it seems the universe owes Marlowe a new summer job, and that’s how she ends up at Morning House, a mansion built on an island in the 1920s and abandoned shortly thereafter. It’s easy enough, giving tours. Low risk of fire. High chance of getting bored talking about stained glass and nut cutlets and Prohibition.

Oh, and the deaths. Did anyone mention the deaths?

Maybe this job isn’t such a gift after all. Morning House has a horrific secret that’s been buried for decades, and now the person who brought her here is missing.

All it takes is one clue to set off a catastrophic chain of events. One small detail, just like a spark, could burn it all down—if someone doesn’t bury Marlowe first.

Reviews: 

"A stand-alone sapphic mystery following two equally gripping time lines: the Ralston family deaths and Marlowe’s present-day sleuthing. Marlowe’s excellent memory and love of puzzles serve her well, while her self-deprecating, deadpan humor fills the narrative with quirky charm. Suspenseful, smartly executed, and hilarious." - Booklist (starred review)

"With quips both humorous and prescient, Marlowe is the perfect mix of pluck and wit, and she joins the long line of girl detectives looking to right the world’s various wrongs . . . A guaranteed hit with fans of Tess Sharpe’s The Girls I’ve Been or Durst’s The Lake House." - Bulletin of the Center for Children’s Books

The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

 

The Scammer by Tiffany D. Jackson

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson delivers another stunning, ripped-from-the-headlines thriller, following a freshman girl whose college life is turned upside down when her roommate’s ex-convict brother moves into their dorm and starts controlling their every move.

Out from under her overprotective parents, Jordyn is ready to kill it in prelaw at a prestigious, historically Black university in Washington DC. When her new roommate’s brother is released from prison, the last thing Jordyn expects is to come home and find the ex-convict on their dorm room sofa. But Devonte needs a place to stay while he gets back on his feet—and how could she say no to one of her new best friends?

Devonte is older, as charming as he is intelligent, pushing every student he meets to make better choices about their young lives. But Jordyn senses something sinister beneath his friendly advice and growing group of followers. When one of Jordyn’s roommates goes missing, she must enlist the help of the university’s lone white student to uncover the mystery—or become trapped at the center of a web of lies more tangled than she can imagine.

'

Reviews: 

"Jackson’s portrayal of subtle brainwashing, leading up to a wholly unanticipated twist, is excellent...Engaging and frighteningly realistic; a suspense-filled winner." - Kirkus Reviews

"Expect the unexpected until the very last page in a cautionary tale that will have readers anxious to see who will survive the machinations of a charismatic manipulator. A highly recommended read." - School Library Journal (starred review)

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

Shatter Me by Tahereh Mafi

The gripping first installment in global bestselling author Tahereh Mafi’s epic, romantic Shatter Me series.

One touch is all it takes. One touch, and Juliette Ferrars can leave a fully grown man gasping for air. One touch, and she can kill.

No one knows why Juliette has such incredible power. It feels like a curse, a burden that one person alone could never bear. But The Reestablishment sees it as a gift, sees her as an opportunity. An opportunity for a deadly weapon.

Juliette has never fought for herself before. But when she’s reunited with the one person who ever cared about her, she finds a strength she never knew she had. 

Check out all the books in the original series, we have them in our library!

Happy New Year!

 Welcome back everyone! Hope you all had a relaxing break and read a few books! Please make sure you're checking your emails and getting your books renewed/returned when you receive library notifications! 

The library is open Monday-Friday 8AM-4:30PM (barring any special events), so stop on by to read something new or to use our computers to study and get some work done! As always, we are here to help where we can! 

If there are any questions about book fines, please come in and talk to one of the library staff. We're always glad to help.