Category Archives: Special Days/Times

Summer Reading Program and Read Across Texas Book Club Title Announced for June 2023!

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Please join us on Thursday June 22 at 7:00 p.m. (Central) for our Book Club discussion of REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt (DB 107924; BR 24204). This book is both a selection for Read Across Texas as well as our Summer Reading Program Adult Book Club pick!

For more information concerning the Read Across Texas Initiative: https://www.tsl.texas.gov/readacrosstexas.

We host our Book Club discussions via Zoom. However, all you need to participate is a telephone!

If you have a land line, we will provide a telephone number for accessing the Book Club.

If you have a smart phone, we will email an easy “one click” number you can use to join the discussion.

We can also send an email Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer.

Patrons who register for the discussion will receive this information a week before the Book Club meeting.

Please contact a Reader’s Advisory Librarian at 1-800-252-9605 or tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov with any questions, or to RSVP.

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES is available by mail as a digital cartridge, available to download via BARD, and available in braille.

We’re looking forward to having you join us on June 22!

REMARKABLY BRIGHT CREATURES by Shelby Van Pelt (DB 107924; BR 24204)

After Tova Sullivan’s husband died, she began working the night shift cleaning at the Sowell Bay Aquarium. Tova becomes acquainted with curmudgeonly Marcellus, a giant Pacific octopus living at the aquarium. Marcellus knows more than anyone can imagine but wouldn’t dream of lifting one of his eight arms for his human captors, until he forms a remarkable friendship with Tova. Some strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

TBP Book Club Title Announced for January 2023!

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Image of books, audio book on cell phone, and headphones, with text "Talking Book Program Phone-In Book Club," 1-800-252-9605

Please join us on Thursday January 26 at 7 pm (Central Time) for our book club discussion of GOODBYE TO A RIVER by John Graves.

We host our Book Club meetings via Zoom, however all you need to participate is a telephone! If you have a land line, we will provide a telephone number for you to dial. If you have a smart phone we will email you an easy “one click” number you can use to join the discussion. We will also email a Zoom invitation to those who prefer to use a computer. This information will be sent to all patrons who RSVP a week prior to the book club meeting.

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605; or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

GOODBYE TO A RIVER is available by mail as a digital cartridge. It is also available to download on BARD.

We ask that everyone remember the following:

  • Be courteous and respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.
  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.

Goodbye to a River by John Graves: John Graves leads us through an exciting three-week trip down the Brazos River in this classic narrative. An excellent history of the early inhabitants along the river is well woven into this engrossing book, with memories of events in Texas history that took place along that river. Unrated. 1960.

We look forward to having you join us on January 26!

TBP Book Club Title Announced for November 2022!

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Image of books, audio book on cell phone, and headphones, with text "Talking Book Program Phone-In Book Club," 1-800-252-9605

Please join us on Tuesday November 15 at 7 pm (Central Time) for our book club discussion of WORLD OF WONDERS by Aimee Nezhukumatathil.

We host our Book Club meetings via toll free conference call. All you need to participate is a telephone!

To register, please call the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605; or email us at tbp.ral@tsl.texas.gov.

WORLD OF WONDERS is available by mail as a digital cartridge. It is also available to download on BARD.

Please indicate if you would like us to mail you a digital cartridge or if you will download it from BARD.

We ask that everyone remember the following:

  • Be courteous and respectful of differing opinions.
  • Keep discussion points concise and relevant to the book.
  • Keep external distractions to a minimum.

World of Wonders by Aimee Nezhukumtathil: Poet shares twenty-eight essays exploring the impact of plants and animals on her perceptions of the world. In “Catalpa Tree,” she reflects on growing up brown in a predominantly white town and the racism her mother experienced. Other species include the narwhal, axolotl, corpse flower, dragon fruit, and southern cassowary. Bestseller. 2020.

We look forward to having you join us on November 15!

September 6: National Read a Book Day

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The Talking Book Program (TBP) always advocates reading. Our motto is: That All May Read. National Read a Book Day, celebrated on September 6 of every year, is a day that invites everyone to read. So TBP and National Read a Book Day just naturally go together. There are so many ways to celebrate:

  1. Read a book!
  2. Share your passion for books and reading with someone.
  3.  Read a book from a new or different genre.
  4. Read a favorite book from childhood or a book that is a friend or family member’s favorite.
  5. Share the stories you are reading using #ReadABookDay to post on social media.

ProTip: Don’t have time to read entire book? Try reading a magazine issue, a book of poetry, or a story from an essay or short story collection.

Facts from the Texas Talking Book Program

  • Texas has over 17,000 TBP patrons.
  • In 2021, TBP circulated 688,186 braille, large print, and audio cartridges via mail to our patrons.
  • Texas patrons downloaded 302,789 books via the Braille and Audio Reading Download (BARD) in 2021.
  • We added 345 large print and 125 braille titles to our physical collection in 2021.
  • In 2021, 292 books were recorded and uploaded to BARD from our Texas recording studio.

There are many more books to choose from for National Reading Day!

Books about Books, Librarians, and Bookstores

  • Do you like cozy mysteries? Try the Booktown Mystery Series by Lorna Barrett or the Mystery Bookshop Mystery Series by V. M. Burns
  • Is romance more your style? Try the Librarians in Love Series by Sarah Title or BOOKISH LIFE OF NINA HILL (DB 95745, LB 12621)
  • Does Science Fiction make you want to snuggle up with a good book? Try the Borrowed Man Series by Gene Wolfe
  • Or do you want the facts, and nothing but the facts? Here are some nonfiction books about books you may enjoy. Try SHELF LIFE: ROMANCE, MYSTERY, DRAMA, AND OTHER PAGE-TURNING ADVENTURES FROM A YEAR IN A BOOKSTORE (DB 60048) by Suzanne Strempek Shea or if you prefer more of a true crime twist, try LIBRARY BOOK (DB 92869, LB 11432) BY Susan Orleans.

Not sure what you want to read? Contact the Talking Book Program at 1-800-252-9605 (if in Austin, call our local number at 512-463-5458) and one of our readers consultants or readers’ advisory librarians can help you choose your next favorite book.

 

August 27: Lyndon Baines Johnson Day

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On August 27, 1908, Lyndon Baines Johnson (LBJ) was born in a small stone farmhouse in Stonewall, Texas. He went on to become a Texas State Senator and then later, President of the United States. After his death in 1973, August 27 was designated as a Texas state holiday in his honor.

This year, August 27 falls on a Saturday, so you can spend the entire day celebrating LBJ’s life and accomplishments. The LBJ Presidential Library in Austin offers free admission on the day. But even if you do not live nearby, you can still celebrate by reading one of the books about Lyndon Johnson in our Talking Book Program collection.

For More information

Books about LBJ in our collection:

For the most in-depth look at LBJ’s life, try the four- book series YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, written by Robert Caro:

PATH TO POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON VOLUME 1
DB 18676,
MEANS OF ASCENT: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON, VOLUME 2
DB 30837
MASTER OF THE SENATE: THE YEARS OF LYNDON
DB 54174
PASSAGE OF POWER: THE YEARS OF LYNDON JOHNSON
DB 74635

If you are looking for a slightly less detailed biography you might like to read the two-volume series by Robert Dallek:

LONE STAR RISING: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1908-1960
DB 34378
FLAWED GIANT: LYNDON JOHNSON AND HIS TIMES, 1961-1973
DB 47275

Perhaps you would like to read a memoir written by someone who knew LBJ personally. Doris Kearns Goodwin was a White House Fellow in 1967, and her book is based on interviews conducted during the last five years of President Johnson’s life.

LYNDON JOHNSON AND THE AMERICAN DREAM
DB 09793

Or you could look at his time in the White House through the eyes of his wife, Lady Bird Johnson.

WHITE HOUSE DIARY
DBC 18116

Or if you are looking for a way for younger readers to learn about LBJ, here’s one you could try:

LYNDON B. JOHNSON: THIRTY-SIXTH PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES
Grades 5-8
DB 30136, BR 08027

Dog Days of Summer

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The dog days of summer, coinciding with the alignment of the constellation Sirius with the sun from July 3-August 11, are upon us. The dog days of summer are typically the hottest days of the season, so lean into the heat with these summer reads for adults and youth:

ADULT FICTION

SAG HARBOR by Colson Whitehead (DB 69066; BR 18616)
Long Island, 1985. Upper-middle-class African American teenager Benji spends another summer at the beach with his brother and his parents, a Manhattan doctor, and a lawyer. Benji finds relief from prep school and a part-time job and learns a few lessons on growing up. Strong language. 2009.

DANDELION WINE: A NOVEL by Ray Bradbury (DB 12385)
Evocative novel of childhood set in a small Illinois town during the summer of 1938. A boy marvels at his discovery that he is alive and acutely aware of the life about him.

PEOPLE WE MEET ON VACATION by Emily Henry (DB 103191)
Travel writer Poppy and her friend Alex could not be more different, but they bonded on a road trip home from college and afterwards took annual vacations together. Unfortunately, their last vacation ruined everything between them. Two years later Poppy talks Alex into one more trip together. Strong language and some explicit descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

SUMMER ON THE BLUFFS: A NOVEL by Sunny Hostin (DB 103563)
Thirty years ago, Amelia Vaux Tanner and her husband built a house in Oak Bluffs, an exclusive African American enclave of Martha’s Vineyard. She invites her three goddaughters to spend the summer, as she decides which woman will inherit the house. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.

MALIBU RISING by Taylor Jenkins Reid (DB 103564)
In the summer of 1983, Nina Riva was hosting her annual celebrity-filled party, despite the impending end of her marriage. Nina and her three siblings, all connected to the world of surfing, might have survived their unconventional upbringing, but each is hiding secrets. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. Bestseller. 2021.

CALL ME BY YOUR NAME by Andre Aciman (DB 65344; BR 22904)
Each summer Elio’s parents host a scholar in their home on the Italian Riviera. Oliver, a young academic from America arrives, igniting in seventeen-year-old Elio a passionate longing and desire. Years later Elio recollects his search for intimacy during that transformative season. Some descriptions of sex. 2007.

LIFEGUARDS by Amanda Eyre Ward (DB 107638)
Whitney, Annette, and Liza have raised their children together for fifteen years. Their friendship is as safe as the Austin neighborhood where they’ve raised their sweet little boys. Or so they think. One night, the boys share a secret that will shatter the perfect world their mothers have so painstakingly created. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2022.

YOUNG ADULT FICTION

LOVE IS A REVOLUTION by Renee Watson (DB 102792)
Harlem teenager Nala is looking forward to a summer of movies and ice cream until she falls in love with the very woke Tye and pretends to be a social activist. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

BLACKOUT (DB 104186)
Six interconnected short stories of warmth and electricity of Black teen love in New York City during a summer blackout. Acclaimed, award-winning authors include Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, and Nicola Yoon. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.

SISTERHOOD OF THE TRAVELING PANTS by Ann Brashares (DB 53252; LB 04827; BR 13765)
Four fifteen-year-olds, “Bridget the athlete, Lena the beauty, Tibby the rebel, and Carmen, the one with the bad temper”, have been friends since childhood. During this first summer apart, they share a pair of used jeans that magically fits each of them perfectly and helps them through tough times. For senior high readers. 2001.

WHAT IF IT’S US by Becky Albertalli (DB 92949)
When Arthur, a summer intern from Georgia, and Ben, a native New Yorker, meet, it feels like fate. But after three failed attempts at dating, they wonder if the universe is pushing them together or apart. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2018.

HARLEM SUMMER by Walter Dean Myers (DB 65655; BR 17320)
Harlem, 1925. Sixteen-year-old saxophone-playing Mark Purvis is hired by an African American magazine one summer. But when he does a shady delivery job for his idol, musical genius Fats Waller, something goes wrong, and gangster Dutch Schultz comes after Mark for money. For senior high readers. 2007.

WE WERE LIARS by E. Lockhart (DB 79109; BR 20594)
Spending the summers on her family’s private island off the coast of Massachusetts with her cousins and a special boy named Gat, teenaged Cadence struggles to remember what happened during her fifteenth summer. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2014.

JUVENILE FICTION

HOLES by Louis Sachar (DB 47444; LB 04941; BT 03955)
Stanley Yelnats IV finds himself in a detention center for possessing stolen property that he didn’t take. While digging holes under the summer Texas sun, he sees a fellow inmate running away—and follows him. Legends, loyalty, and buried treasure are revealed as Stanley learns to survive. Newbery Medal Winner.

THREE WILLOWS: THE SISTERHOOD GROWS by Ann Brashares (DB 68648)
In the summer before ninth grade, three longtime friends explore separate paths. Jo deals with her parents’ divorce, her interest in an older boy, and an awkward visit from Polly. Meanwhile academic-minded Ama feels out of place on a wilderness trip learning to rock climb. For grades 6-9. 2009.

GIRLS OF JULY by Alex Flinn (DB 95793)
Four girls—Britta, Meredith, Kate, and Spider, only two of whom had met before—spend an unforgettable July with Spider’s aunt in the Adirondacks. Told in separate voices. Commercial audiobook. For grades 6-9 and older readers. 2019.

MARE’S WAR by Tanita S. Davis (DB 70850; BR 18763)
Teens Octavia and Tali reluctantly take a cross-country road trip with their eighty-year-old grandmother. But Mare’s stories about growing up black in 1940s Alabama and running away from home to join the army during World War II make the journey worthwhile. For grades 6-9. Coretta Scott King Honor Book. 2009.

Stay cool, and happy reading!

LAMBDA Award Finalists 2022

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Since 1988, the Lambda Literary Awards, or the Lammys, have been awarded to the best lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender writing. The winners were announced on June 11. Here are the finalists for 2022 that are in the TBP collection.

2022 Lambda Literary Award Finalists – Lambda Literary

Lesbian Fiction

HOW TO WRESTLE A GIRL: STORIES by Venita Blackburn (DB 106092)
MATRIX by Lauren Groff (DB 104843, BR 23948, LB 13522)
FIVE WOUNDS by Kirstin Valdez Quade (DB 103802)

Gay Fiction

LADRILLEROS by Selva Almada (IN PROCESS)

Bisexual Fiction

MILK FED: A NOVEL by Melissa Broder (DB 103078)
MONSTER IN THE MIDDLE by Tiphanie Yanique (DB 105660)

Transgender Nonfiction

DETRANSITION BABY by Torrey Peters (DB 101806)
SHE WHO BECAME THE SUN by Shelley Parker-Chan (DB 104810)

Lesbian Memoir/Biography

WHY LABELLE MATTERS by Adele Bertei (IN PROCESS)

Gay Memoir/Biography

PUNCH ME UP TO THE GODS by Brian Brammer (DB 106011)

LGBTQ Young Adult

HANI AND ISHU’S GUIDE TO FAKE DATING by Adiba Jaigirdar (DB 105388)
CITY BEAUTIFUL by Aden Polydoros (DB 106736, BR 24088)
PASSING PLAYBOOK by Isaac Fitzsimons (DB 105272)

June 19: Juneteenth

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Juneteenth celebrates African American Emancipation. With the following words, General Granger informed the people of Galveston that all slaves had been liberated on June 19, 1865.

“The people of Texas are informed that in accordance with a Proclamation from the Executive of the United States, all slaves are free. This involves an absolute equality of rights and rights of property between former masters and slaves, and the connection heretofore existing between them becomes that between employer and hired laborer.”

Celebrations following the declaration led to an annual acknowledgement and celebration of freedom to African Americans. Celebrations, today, take place around the United States and throughout the rest of the world.

In honor of Juneteenth, we have listed the books specifically about Juneteenth in our collection for a range of reading levels both in fiction and non-fiction.

For more information on Juneteenth: https://www.juneteenth.com/

Juvenile Fiction

JUNETEENTH FOR MAZIE by Floyd CooperKindergarten – Grade 3
DB 105650
FREEDOM’S GIFTS: A JUNETEENTH STORY by Valerie Wilson Wesley Grade 3 – Grade 6
DBC 04831
OSCEOLA: MEMORIES OF A SHARECROPPER’S DAUGHTER by Osceola Mays
Grade 3 – Grade 6
DB 50524

Juvenile Non-fiction

OPAL LEE AND WHAT IT MEANS TO BE FREE: THE TRUE STORY OF THE GRANDMOTHER OF JUNETEENTH by Alice Faye Duncan
Kindergarten – Grade 3
DBC 26479
JUNETEENTH by Vaunda Micheaux NelsonGrade 2 – Grade 4
DBC 10089

Adult Fiction

JUNETEENTH by Ralph Ellison
DB 48438; BR 12277

Adult Nonfiction

ON JUNETEENTH by Annette Gordon-Reed
DB 103364
FOUR HUNDRED SOULS: A COMMUNITY HISTORY OF AFRICAN AMERICA, 1619-2019
DB 102425, BR 23615, LB 13468

CELEBRATE WITH PRIDE

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Pride month is celebrated each year during the month of June. The first Pride march was held in New York City on June 28, 1970, on the one-year anniversary of the Stonewall Uprising. Since then, this single day has grown into a nationwide, month-long series of events celebrating the LGBTQIA+ community. Read more about Pride Month on the Library of Congress website: https://www.loc.gov/lgbt-pride-month/about/ and mark this month yourself by checking out one of these Pride books by and about LGBTQIA+ individuals:

FICTION

LESS by Andrew Sean Greer (DB 88794, LB 10273, BR 22198)
A failed novelist turning fifty is invited to his ex-boyfriend’s wedding. Instead of attending, he decides to accept every other invitation he has received, even if it means traveling the world for random, odd literary events. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. Pulitzer Prize for fiction, 2018. 2017.

LIAR’S DICTIONARY by Eley Williams (DB 103312, LB 13379)
Peter Winceworth, Victorian lexicographer, is toiling away on Swansby’s multivolume Encyclopaedic Dictionary, but boredom leads him to insert fictitious entries. In the present day, Mallory, a young intern employed by the publisher, is tasked with uncovering these fake words before the work is digitized. Unrated. 2021.

HOUSE IN THE CERULEAN SEA by TJ Klune (DB 98951)
As a case worker at the Department in Charge of Magical Youth, Linus Baker spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. He is unexpectedly given a highly classified assignment: travel to a remote island orphanage where six dangerous children reside. Some strong language. 2020.

MEMORIAL by Bryan Washington (DB 101143)
Japanese American chef, Mike, and African American daycare teacher, Benson, begin reevaluating their stale relationship after Mike departs for Japan to visit his dying father and Benson is suddenly stuck with Mike’s mom, who becomes an unconventional roommate. Strong language and explicit descriptions of sex. 2020.

GIRL, WOMAN, OTHER by Bernadine Evaristo (DB 98756)
Twelve characters lead vastly different lives in modern Britain. From a nonbinary social media influencer to a 93-year-old woman living on a farm in Northern England, they all intersect in shared aspects of their identities, from age to race to sexuality to class. Unrated. Booker Prize. 2019.

GUNCLE by Steven Rowley (DB 103560)
It’s been years since Patrick O’Hara left behind the life of a sitcom star for retirement in Palm Springs. Now a family tragedy has left him in charge of his niece and nephew. While he has always loved being Gay Uncle Patrick, this new responsibility is overwhelming. Unrated. 2021.

NONFICTION

QUEER HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES by Michael Bronski (DB 00573)
Using numerous primary documents and literature, as well as social histories, takes the reader through the centuries, from the American Revolution’s radical challenging of sex and gender roles, to the violent and liberating 19th century, to the transformative social justice movements of the 20th century. A QUEER HISTORY OF THE UNITED STATES is not so much about queer history as it is about all American history–and why it should matter to both LGBTQIA+ people and heterosexuals alike. Some strong language and explicit descriptions of sex.

HERE FOR IT: OR, HOW TO SAVE YOUR SOUL IN AMERICA: ESSAYS by Eric R. Thomas (DB 98878)
A collection of essays in which the author reflects on his experiences reconciling his Christianity with his sexuality, the exhaustion of code-switching, gaining accidental internet fame, and covering the 2016 election and its aftermath. He reexamines the meaning of “normal” and discusses how to care about an increasingly bleak future. Strong language. 2020.

SISSY: A COMING-OF-GENDER STORY by Jacob Tobia (DB 94505)
Tobia discusses their difficulties with a binary gender system while growing up as someone who did not fit the stereotypical mold for masculinity. Tobia seeks to discount the notion that all individuals can be easily sorted into the categories of “men” and “women”. Strong language and descriptions of sex. 2019.

UNTAMED by Glennon Doyle (DB 98981, LB 13258)
The author of CARRY ON, WARRIOR (DB 87208) and LOVE WARRIOR (DB 85522) suggests that trusting one’s inner voice and ignoring the world’s expectations can lead to joy and peace. She speaks of her own experiences learning to listen to herself at key moments and reclaim her true, untamed self. Strong language. Bestseller. 2020.

TOMORROW WILL BE DIFFERENT: LOVE, LOSS, AND THE FIGHT FOR TRANS EQUALITY by Sarah McBride (DB 90649)
Activist author discusses her journey as a teenager struggling with gender identity, her marriage to fellow trans individual Andy, her commitment to advocacy, and more. Examines issues such as bathroom access and healthcare, political milestones, and the historical context of the transgender movement. Bestseller. 2018.

Happy Pride Month, and happy reading!

Nebula Awards Finalists 2022

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Since 1965, the Nebula Awards were established by the Science Fiction Writers of America (SFWA) in order to create an annual anthology of the best stories of the year. The finalists were announced March 8. The winners will be announced May 21.

https://nebulas.sfwa.org/sfwa-announces-the-56th-annual-nebula-award-finalists/

Here are the finalists for 2022 that are in the TBP collection.

NOVEL


UNBROKEN 
CLARK, C.L.
Soldier Touraine and her company are sent to quell a rebellion in her homeland. Meanwhile, Luca seeks someone who can sway the rebels to peace while Luca focuses on dethroning her uncle. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.
DB 102840
 
MASTER OF DJINN
CLARK, P. DJELI
An agent with the Ministry of Alchemy, Enchantments and Supernatural Entities, Fatma el-Sha’arawi investigates the murder of a secret brotherhood. The murderer claims to be the long-missing al-Jahiz, a man who opened the veil to the magical realms forty years prior. Some violence, some strong language, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2021.
DB 103858
 
MACHINEHOOD
DIVYA, S.B.
Humanity is increasingly dependent on designer pills to enhance performance and maintain health. New terrorist group the Machinehood attacks several major pill funders with operatives that are part human and part machine. After a client is killed in front of her, bodyguard Welga is pulled in to help fight the Machinehood. Strong language, some violence, and some descriptions of sex. Commercial audiobook. 2021.
DB 104112
 
DESOLATION CALLED PEACE
MARTINE, ARKADY
An alien armada lurks on the edges of Teixcalaanli space, refusing to communicate. Running out of options, Fleet Captain Nine Hibiscus sends Mahit Dzmare and Three Seagrass as a diplomatic envoy. Sequel to A Memory Called Empire (DB 94528). Unrated. Commercial audiobook. 2021.
DB 102760

NOVELLA

PSALM FOR THE WILD-BUILT
CHAMBERS, BECKY
Centuries ago, the robots of Panga gained self-awareness and disappeared into the wilderness. When Sibling Dex, a tea monk, meets Splendid Speckled Mosscap, a robot, they are the first person to encounter a robot in years. Dex and Mosscap travel through the woods together, engaging in philosophical conversation. Strong language. Commercial audiobook. 2021.
DB 104764; BR 24116
 
FIREHEART TIGER
BODARD, ALIETTE DE
Princess Thanh returns to her mother’s court after years as a political hostage. In her new role as a diplomat, she crosses paths with her first love, Eldris. But Eldris wants more than romance–he has plans for Thanh’s home as well. 2021.
DB 103041; BR 23679
 
SUN-DAUGHTERS, SEA-DAUGHTERS
OGDEN, AIMEE
In this space opera reimagining of “The Little Mermaid,” gene-edited human clans have scattered throughout the galaxy, adapting to their new environments. The daughter of a Sea-Clan lord sparks a war when she rejects her people by choosing her land-dwelling love. Strong language and some descriptions of sex. 2021.
DB 104380; BR 23760

THE ANDRE NORTON NEBULA AWARD FOR MIDDLE GRADE AND YOUNG ADULT FICTION

VICTORIES GREATER THAN DEATH
ANDERS, CHARLIE JANE
Tired of hiding in obscurity on Earth, Tina, the human clone of a brilliant alien tactician, pursues her destiny in space. But success is elusive until Tina and her best friend Rachael assemble a ragtag crew and set out to save all the worlds. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
DB 102993
 
REDEMPTOR
IFUEKO, JORDAN
Contending with the lives of her loved ones in danger, assassination attempts, and a new stranger she can’t entirely trust, Empress Redemptor Tarisai must decide if she is willing to die for justice–or to live for it. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
DB 105200

SNAKE FALLS TO EARTH
LITTLE BADGER, DARCIE
Nina, a Lipan Apache, lives in the real world and still believes in the old stories. Oli, a cottonmouth snake boy, lives in the Reflecting World. But a catastrophic event on Earth, and a strange sickness that befalls Oli’s best friend, drive their worlds together in ways they haven’t been in centuries. Unrated. Commercial audiobook. For senior high and older readers. 2021.
DB 106018
 
ROOT MAGIC
ROYCE, EDEN
Wadmalaw, South Carolina. Eleven-year-old twins Jezebel and Jay begin lessons in rootwork for healing and protection. As they train, they face threats from the local police deputy, school bullies, and others. Commercial audiobook. For grades 3-6. 2021.
DB 106014