Staff Picks by Tag

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Squire By Nadia Shammas, Sara Alfageeh (Illustrator), Sara Alfageeh Cover Image
$14.99
ISBN: 9780062945846
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Quill Tree Books - March 8th, 2022

Fight back against empire, colonialism, and oppression with Aiza as she works to gain citizenship through the only option her colonized people are given: knighthood for her oppressors.


Review by Sarah B.

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Houses with a Story: A Dragon’s Den, a Ghostly Mansion, a Library of Lost Books, and 30 More Amazing Places to Explore By Seiji Yoshida, Jan Mitsuko Cash (Translated by) Cover Image
By Seiji Yoshida, Jan Mitsuko Cash (Translated by)
$24.99
ISBN: 9781419761249
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Amulet Books - November 14th, 2023

Wander through detailed diagrams and illustrations of unexpected and magical buildings, from the Post Office of the Dragon Tamer and an Outbuilding Inhabited by a Poltergeist, to a sidebar on toilets and a World-Weary Astronomer's Residence. This is the book I'm dreaming of falling into and never leaving.


Review by Sarah B.

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The Skull: A Tyrolean Folktale By Jon Klassen, Jon Klassen (Illustrator) Cover Image
By Jon Klassen, Jon Klassen (Illustrator)
$19.99
ISBN: 9781536223361
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Candlewick - July 11th, 2023

To me this is the perfect kids book.

Beautifully illustrated: check

Spooky: check

Gazes into a vast, human loneliness and dares to reach out a hand: check


Review by Allie

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Flowerheart By Catherine Bakewell Cover Image
$19.99
ISBN: 9780063214590
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: HarperTeen - March 14th, 2023

Trust when I say this is the cottagecore fantasy you have been waiting for! Clara's story is rife with romance and magic, but the heart of it all is a young woman just trying to save her father and regain control of her life.


Review by Madison

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Hell Followed with Us By Andrew Joseph White Cover Image
$18.99
ISBN: 9781682633243
Availability: Out of stock, usually available in 3-10 days
Published: Peachtree Teen - June 7th, 2022

The cover caught your eye, didn’t it? 
 
 
Here’s the rundown: Trans kids fight a cult in a post-apocalyptic world. Here’s a little more: queer rage, religious trauma, “eat your oppressors”, body horror elucidating the trans experience, visceral and atmospheric descriptions of body mutilation and gore, gender dysphoria, and religious zealots trying to destroy the world. This story is for anyone who has felt queer, trans, or autistic rage, the kind of rage from being told you shouldn’t exist because the system told us so. Despite all its dark moments, it is powerful and hopeful, with completely unforgettable characters that make you feel like they are your found family.
 

 


Review by Javi

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Out of the Blue By Jason June Cover Image
$15.99
ISBN: 9780063015210
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: HarperTeen - May 2nd, 2023

I'm not much of a YA reader, I couldn't say they last time I read one. That said, I very much so enjoyed this! A tender, sweet and often times hilarious story of young queer love. I recommend this to anyone looking for a light, heartwarming read to sit in the sun with.


Review by Zack

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Love Radio By Ebony LaDelle Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781665908160
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - August 29th, 2023

I adore Ebony LaDelle’s ability to write vulnerability without it becoming overwhelming.

Despite the fact that Dani has isolated herself to avoid confronting a terrible memory and Prince is sacrificing his dreams to take care of his chronically ill mother, this book is full of joy and healing. 

Pick up Love Radio, and maybe you’ll find some healing, too. 


Review by Madison

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As If on Cue By Marisa Kanter Cover Image
$12.99
ISBN: 9781534445819
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers - October 24th, 2023

I’ve got a weak spot for a YA enemies-to-lovers romance, but the feud between the band kids and theater kids made this book irresistible. Kanter totally captures the complex overwhelming stress of high school…including how it breaks friendships as easily as it makes them.

Oh, and the best part? Kanter’s love for Jewish culture shines on every page.


Review by Madison

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The Girl Who Fell Beneath the Sea By Axie Oh Cover Image
By Axie Oh
$18.99
ISBN: 9781250780867
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Feiwel & Friends - February 22nd, 2022

Axie Oh defies expectations with this feminist re-telling of The Tale of Shim Cheong. This book is a deep dive (literally) into Korean folklore and perfect for lovers of fairy tales!


Review by Madison

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Vinyl Moon By Mahogany L. Browne Cover Image
$10.99
ISBN: 9780593176467
Availability: On our shelves now at one or more of our stores
Published: Ember - June 6th, 2023

From Cali to Brooklyn, Angel has her new classmates, her Uncle Spence, and her music playlists to help heal her broken arm and her spirit from her troubled past. We also see her make a home within the words of Toni Morrison, Tayari Jones, and James Baldwin, discovering Black authors through the guidance of her teachers. Browne's novel shines as a beautiful balance between the light and dark sides of being a teenager. 


Review by Emily

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