Brooklyn teens (and their librarians) talking about their favorite books, sharing original art and writing, and promoting cool free stuff to do!
May 2024 YA Book Releases
A Tale of Two Knights: Tristan and Lancelot by James Persichetti and L Biehler: When Merlin goes missing and Camelot falls under attack, King Arthur sends his estranged half-sister, Morgan le Fay, and esteemed Knights of the Round Table, Tristan and Lancelot, to find him. As the reluctant trio travels through Albion saving towns from treacherous foes and battling fae, their bonds deepen, and sparks fly between the two knights. Before they can sort through their complicated feelings, an unexpected dark force appears, bringing what just might be the end of Camelot. Bite Me, Royce…
Book Review: Super Boba Cafe
Karen, Coordinator of Young Adult Services
This book review was submitted by a local teen. Wolf W. attends middle school in Brooklyn and enjoys visiting the Windsor Terrace Library.Super Boba Cafe by Nidhi Chanani is an interesting and beautifully written book. It is about a child who shares embarrassing photos of herself with her “Crush,” or “Boyfriend.” He is not satisfied “And wants more,” as said in the text. She feels uncomfortable and doesn’t respond. When she doesn’t respond he leaks the embarrassing photos on social media and other sharing platforms, whatsapp, discord, ect. When she comes to school the next day she is…
April is (Also!) Autism Acceptance Month
Happy Autism Acceptance Month! Below are ten novels and non-fiction books on autism and/or with autistic main characters. FICTION:Daniel, Deconstructed by James Ramos: Photographer and film buff Daniel Sanchez learned a long time ago that the only way to get by in an allistic world is to mask his autism and follow the script. Which means he knows that boisterous, buff, and beautiful soccer superstars like his best friend, Mona Sinclair, shouldn't be wasting time hanging out with introverts...But when Daniel meets a new classmate, Gabe Mendes, who is tall, mysterious, nonbinary, and--…
YA Books to Read for Arab American Heritage Month
In celebration of Arab American Heritage Month, check out these ten books below: From Here : a memoir by Luma Mufleh: Refugee advocate Luma Mufleh writes of her tumultuous journey to reconcile her identity as a gay Muslim woman and a proud Arab-turned-American refugee. Home is Not a Country by Safia Elhillo: A novel in verse follows the experiences of a misfit teen in a discriminatory suburban community who questions her mixed heritage before unexpected family revelations force her to fight for her own identity.Hope Ablaze by Sarah Mughal Rana: Eighteen-year-old Nida faces…
April is National Poetry Month: Booklist
All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V. Sawyerr: In the wake of being sexually assaulted by her pastor, sixteen-year-old Amina struggles to regain her footing until she finds the strength within herself to confront her abuser in court.Alma Presses Play by Tina Cane: In 1980s New York, half-Chinese, half-Jewish Alma, whose life is a series of halfways, uses her Walkman to get through the challenges thrown her way until she is ready to press play on the soundtrack of her life.An Impossible Thing to Say by Arya Shahi: In the aftermath of 9/11, high school sophomore Omid grapples with finding the…
Perfectionism
I’m an artist. Of course I am a perfectionist.Growing up, I learned to put my best foot forward in everything I do. Strive for perfection and never settle for less. Especially in art school. Every stroke of your brush, every scratch of your pencil, every eraser mark, everything must be done with intention and done with perfection.The afternoon sun beamed down on my hunched-over back, burning me as I added final details to my sketch. The art teacher leaned over my shoulder, breathing down on me. Several tense moments passed as the compliment that I was anticipating never came.“Look at this…
April 2024 Teen Book Releases
Canto Contigo: a novel by Jonny Garza Villa: In a twenty-four-hour span, Rafael Alvarez led North Amistad High School's Mariachi Alma de la Frontera to their eleventh consecutive first-place win in the Mariachi Extravaganza de Nacional; and met, made out with, and almost hooked up with one of the cutest guys he's ever met. Now eight months later, Rafie's ready for one final win. What he didn't plan for is his family moving to San Antonio before his senior year, forcing him to leave behind his group while dealing with the loss of the most important person in his life-his beloved abuelo.…
Ten YA Books to Read to Celebrate Spring
Blaine for the Win by Robbie Couch: High school junior Blaine Bowers has it all—the perfect boyfriend, a pretty sweet gig as a muralist for local Windy City businesses, a loving family, and awesome, talented friends. And he is absolutely, 100% positive that aforementioned perfect boyfriend—senior student council president and Mr. Popular of Wicker West High School, Joey—is going to invite Blaine to spend spring break with his family in beautiful, sunny Cabo San Lucas. Except Joey breaks up with him instead. In public. On their one-year anniversary. Because, according to Joey, Blaine is too…
Are You a Foodie?
If you love reading about food, baking, and cooking, be sure to check out these ten novels:Drizzle, Dreams, and Lovestruck Things by Maya Prasad: The Singh sisters grew up helping their father navigate the bustle of the Songbird Inn. Nestled on dreamy and drizzly Orcas Island in the Pacific Northwest, the inn's always been warm and cozy and filled with interesting guests—the perfect home. But things are about to heat up now that the Songbird has been named the Most Romantic Inn in America. Nidhi has everything planned out—until a storm brings a wayward tree crashing into her life one autumn…
March 2024 Teen Book Releases
Ariel Crashes a Train by Olivia A Cole: Ariel grapples with her fear of her own mind and violent fantasies, driven by her desire to meet her parents' expectations and societal norms, until a summer job at a carnival leads her to new friends who help her discover her struggle with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and find acceptance and support for her true self.Bad Like Us by Gabriella Lepore: While at a private beach lodge with her popular classmates when an anonymous letter leads to murder, Eva places her trust in Colton and together they uncover secrets that upend everything they thought they…
Defending the Freedom to Read
Karen, Coordinator of Young Adult Services
Recently one of our StoryTeen interns, Adelaide, gave testimony to the New York City Council about fighting book bans.Good afternoon. Thank you to the Members of the New York City Council for the opportunity to speak today.My name is Adelaide Sendlenski. I’m a sophomore in high school at Saint Ann’s and a participant in Brooklyn Public Library’s StoryTeen program. Through StoryTeen, I have had the opportunity to learn how important early childhood literacy is--the foundations laid from birth to 3 years impact a child’s learning for their entire life--and through StoryTeen I’ve had the…
March is Women's History Month: A Booklist
1. Anne Frank's Diary: The Graphic Adaptation by Ari Folman, David Polonsky, Anne Frank: The only graphic biography of Anne Frank's diary that has been authorized by the Anne Frank Foundation and that uses text from the diary--it will introduce a new generation of young readers to this classic of Holocaust literature. This adaptation of Anne Frank's Diary of a Young Girl into a graphic version for a young readership, maintains the integrity and power of the original work. 2. Ashes in the Snow by Ruta Sepetys: Lina is a fifteen-year-old Lithuanian girl. She paints, she draws, she…
My Top Ten Manga Picks (in no specific order)
Do you also like to read manga that can get your blood bumping, make you swoon, or make you cackle from laughter? Be sure to give the ten titles listed below a look if you haven't already.Demon Slayer by Koyoharu Gotoge: A popular action manga about Tanjiro, who sets off to become a demon slayer to avenge his family and find a cure for his little sister who’s turning into a demon. This manga explores the themes of familial love, revenge, comradery, and resilience. Haikyu! by Haruichi Furudate: A popular volleyball manga about Hinata, who upon seeing the “Little Giant” of…
Happy Lunar New Year 2024: A Booklist
1. Flamer by Mike Curato (graphic novel): It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes--but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance.2. Last Night at the Telegraph Club by Malinda Lo: Seventeen-year-old Lily Hu can't remember exactly when the question took root, but the answer was in full bloom the moment she and Kathleen Miller…
Happy Valentine's Day!: Ten Romance Recommendations
Happy Valentine's Day! Do you also like to read romantic titles that’ll make your teenage heart swoon with affection and heartbreak? Be sure to check out these ten titles. American Panda by Gloria Chao: A freshman at MIT, seventeen-year-old Mei Lu tries to live up to her Taiwanese parents' expectations, but no amount of tradition, obligation, or guilt prevent her from hiding several truths--that she is a germaphobe who cannot become a doctor, she prefers dancing to biology, she decides to reconnect with her estranged older brother, and she is dating a Japanese boy.A Sign of…
February is Black History Month: A Booklist
1. Brown Girl Dreaming by Jacqueline Woodson: Raised in South Carolina and New York, Woodson always felt halfway home in each place. In vivid poems, she shares what it was like to grow up as an African American in the 1960s and 1970s, living with the remnants of Jim Crow and her growing awareness of the Civil Rights movement. Touching and powerful, each poem is both accessible and emotionally charged, each line a glimpse into a child’s soul as she searches for her place in the world. Woodson’s eloquent poetry also reflects the joy of finding her voice through writing stories, despite the fact…
February 2024: Teen Book Releases
Cupid's Revenge by Wibke Brueggemann: Unlike her friend Teddy, sixteen-year-old Tilly is not looking for a girlfriend, but when Teddy forms a crush on Katherine Cooper-Bunting, his co-star in their community theater production, Tilly finds herself also swooning over her. Escaping Mr. Rochester by LL McKinney: In this empowering Black queer romance reimagining of Charlotte Brontèe's classic novel, Jane Eyre, the new governess at Thornfield Hall discovers her cruel employer has locked away his wife as revenge for withholding her inheritance and, as his dark plan unfolds,…
Publishing Opportunity!
What is something you wish you knew before entering middle school? The Gutenberg Project aims to tackle this very question through publishing a book comprised of short stories all written by high schoolers (like you!). So submit your short stories today to be considered for publication! For more information please check out our poster below. Happy Writing! We can’t wait to see what you write! Best of luck, The Gutenberg Fellowship at Avenues: The World School
A Martin Luther King Jr. and Civil Rights Movement Booklist
As you all know, yesterday (January 15th) was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. In celebration of this momentous holiday, below are ten books to read on his life and the Civil Rights Movement. 1. A Long Time Coming : a lyrical biography of race in America from Ona Judge to Barack Obama by Ray Anthony Shephard: This YA biography-in-verse of six important Black Americans from different eras, including Ona Judge, Frederick Douglass, Harriet Tubman, Ida B. Wells, Martin Luther King Jr., and Barack Obama, chronicles the diverse ways each fought racism and shows how much--and how little--…
Tips and Tricks For Getting Out of a Reading Slump
Maisie Carroll | BookMatch Teen intern
At the end of 2022, I was in a deep reading slump. I hadn’t read anything in a month, breaking a years-long streak. I felt disappointed, frustrated, and annoyed. I would look at my TBR list and the unread books on my shelf with contempt as I knew they would sit there for months longer. I wanted to be reading again, but somehow it felt impossible. And yet, I did climb out of the reading slump eventually. It was slow and gradual, but at the end of 2023 I have been reading books consistently for the past three months. Here are some tips that helped me. Maybe they can help you too. …
Ten LGBTQIA+ Reads with BIPOC Main Characters
All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan: Sixteen-year-old queer Indian American, Maya, who falls for her white, wealthy, and complicated female classmate, Juneau, is asked to join a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school. Bianca Torre is Afraid of Everything by Justine Pucella Winans: Bianca, an anxious, introverted nonbinary teen birder somehow finds themself investigating a murder with their neighbor/fellow anime lover, all while falling for a cute girl from their birding group...and trying not to get killed next. Chasing Pacquiao…
Ten Verse Novels to Read in 2024
1. All the Fighting Parts by Hannah V Sawyerr: In the wake of being sexually assaulted by her pastor, sixteen-year-old Amina struggles to regain her footing until she finds the strength within herself to confront her abuser in court. 2. A Million Quiet Revolutions by Robin Gow: Two seventeen-year-old trans boys in Kutztown, Pennsylvania, struggling to understand themselves and their love for each other, are inspired by an online story about trans soldiers who fell in love during the American Revolution. 3. An Appetite for Miracles by Laekan Zea Kemp: With the…
Winter Solstice: It's the Return of the Light!
When my now 18-year-old and 16-year-old kiddos were in elementary school, their teachers would have Winter Solstice parties just before the start of December break. When I was in elementary school from 1977-1984, we had Christmas parties and lit Hanukkah candles. We didn’t learn about “Winter Solstice,” whatever that was. I assumed that schools had chosen to recognize this scientific phenomena in order to be more inclusive of the different cultures that compromised the student bodies of New York City. It wasn’t until I started reading up on earth celebrations earlier this year that I…
Our Favorite YA Books of 2023
With 2024 approaching, a few of our YA librarians wanted to share some of their favorite books of this year. Perhaps they're your favorite too! Em Tone Akane-banashi, Vol. 1: On That Day by Yuki Suenaga: Shinta Arakawa wants nothing more than to pass his shin'uchi exam--the test that would make him a top-rank headliner and master storyteller in the traditional Japanese art of rakugo. Akane Osaki, his daughter and biggest fan, spies on him while he practices and learns his routines for herself. When rakugo master Issho Arakawa expels everyone after the exam with no explanation, a fire…
My To-Be-Read (TBR) List for 2024
We're just a few weeks away before 2023 is over. I've been thinking about what books I'd like to finally read. Here's my TBR (so far!) for 2024. 1. Ash by Malinda Lo: In this variation on the Cinderella story, Ash grows up believing in the fairy realm that the king and his philosophers have sought to suppress, until one day she must choose between a handsome fairy and the king's huntress. This is a novel I read about 10 years ago, and I'm so excited to re-read it in 2024! 2. Didn’t See That Coming by Jesse Q. Sutanto: Playing anonymously as a guy to avoid…
'Tis the Season to Be Reading: A Holiday Booklist
Are you ready for the holiday season? Here are some books set during Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa, and New Years. 1. Christmas Clash by Suzanne Park: Enemies Chloe Kwon and Peter Li, whose families operate rival restaurants in the food court, must work together to save the mall from a developer and discover that the feud between their families goes far deeper than either of them realized. 2. Eight Dates and Nights by Betsy Aldredge: Teens Hannah and Noah, who each have different ideas of how to spend Hanukkah, team up to save the last Jewish remnant in small-town…
December 2023 YA New Releases
1. Caught in a Bad Fauxmance / Rose Elle Gonzalez: Agreeing to fake date the son of his family’s longtime enemy, Devin Báez uses this opportunity to gather intel strong enough to take them down and keep the family cabin they gambled on a risky bet until he realizes love is in the cards. 2. Dark Heir / C.S. Pacat: In this much anticipated sequel to the New York Times bestseller Dark Rise, Will travels to the heart of the ancient world where he must keep his true identity hidden as he’s tempted by the darkness within. 3. Defiant / Brandon Sanderson: To…
Can't Get Enough of Coriolanus Snow in The Hunger Games?
Last week, after eight years since Mockingjay Part 2 released in theaters, we finally have a new Hunger Games franchise film: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes! This dystopian prequel to the infamous The Hunger Games series by Suzanne Collins follows a teenage Coriolanus Snow (eventually the President Snow we all know and loathe from The Hunger Games trilogy) as he navigates mentoring Hunger Games tribute Lucy Gray Baird from District 12 to help her survive the tenth annual Hunger Games. Coriolanus Snow, known also as Coryo, serves as a…
A Short Nonfiction November Booklist
Happy Nonfiction November! Nonfiction November is a month-long challenge to read more nonfiction books. Here are five books to read this month: 1. From Here : a memoir by Luma Mufleh: In her coming-of-age memoir, refugee advocate Luma Mufleh writes of her tumultuous journey to reconcile her identity as a gay Muslim woman and a proud Arab-turned-American refugee. 2. Hidden Systems: Water, Electricity, the Internet and the Secrets Behind the Systems We Use Everyday by Dan Nott: This non-fiction graphic novel illustrates the hidden history for every…
Ten Books to Read During Native American and Native Alaskan Heritage Month
November is National Native American and Native Alaskan Heritage Month. First approved by former President George H. W. Bush in November 1990, it has been observed yearly as both "Native American Heritage Month" and "National American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month" since 1994. Below are ten books that celebrate Native American and Indigenous voices and history of North America. Fiction 1. Funeral Songs for Dying Girls by Cherie Dimaline: To save her father’s job at the crematorium and the only home she’s ever known, Winifred and her con-…
Happy Halloween: A Horror Booklist
Happy Halloween, everyone! Is anyone wearing a costume this year? If you enjoy horror or thrillers, be sure to check out this booklist: 1. All These Sunken Souls : a black horror anthology edited by Circe Moskowitz: Welcome to the Dark. We are all familiar with tropes of the horror genre: slasher and victims, demon and the possessed. Bloody screams, haunted visions, and the peddler of wares we aren’t sure we can trust. In this young adult horror anthology, fans of Jordan Peele, Lovecraft Country, and Horror Noire will get a little bit of everything they love—and a…
Five Graphic Novels to Read Now
As someone who loves graphic novels, I'm happily sharing five 2023 releases to check out. 1. Brooms by Jasmine Walls and Teo Duvall: It’s 1930s Mississippi. Magic is permitted only in certain circumstances, and by certain people. Unsanctioned broom racing is banned. But for those who need the money, or the thrills...it's there to be found. Meet Billie Mae, captain of the Night Storms racing team, and Loretta, her best friend and second-in-command. They’re determined to make enough money to move out west to a state that allows Black folks to legally use magic and take…
Ten Spooky Ghost Stories for Fall
Fall is finally here, and Halloween is only two weeks away! If you enjoy spooky ghost stories, check out any of these titles below: 1. Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas: Yadriel, a trans boy, summons the angry spirit of his high school's bad boy, and agrees to help him learn how he died, thereby proving himself a brujo, not a bruja, to his conservative family. 2. Delicious Monsters by Liselle Sambury: Told in alternating timelines, seventeen-year-old Daisy and her mother move into her deceased uncle's mansion, only to find horrors waiting inside, and ten years later,…
October is LGBTQ+ History Month
First celebrated in the United States in 1994, LGBTQ+ History Month is a month-long celebration in October of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer history. It also honors the ongoing history of queer and trans rights. Below are ten books that celebrate the lives of both real (and fictional) LGBTQ+ people of the past. A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar: Josefa is an unapologetic and charismatic thief, who loves the thrill of the chase. She has her eye on her biggest mark yet—the RMS Titanic, the most luxurious ship in the world. But she isn’t interested in…
Celebrate the Freedom to Read: Banned Books Week!
October 1st-7th 2023 is Banned Books Week! Created in 1982, Banned Books Week is an annual celebration of the freedom to read and a time to uplift frequently challenged book titles. The theme this year is "Let Freedom Read!" Banned Books Week is an important time for libraries, schools, and other places of learning across the country to uplift the right to intellectual freedom and the right to the freedom to read. For 2022, there were thirteen titles in the list of the top ten frequently challenged books, including ties for fifth and tenth place: Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe…
October 2023 YA Book Releases
And Don't Look Back by Rebecca Barrow: After her mother's death, teen Harlow pieces together the truth of her family's past and what her mom was hiding from. Beholder by Ryan La Sala: The only survivor of a NYC penthouse party massacre where dead bodies were arranged into disturbingly elegant sculpture, Athan becomes the prime suspect and, desperate to prove his innocence, must confront an ancient evil compelling its victims toward violence, chaos and self-destruction. The Blackwoods by Brandy Colbert: Told from multiple points of view, Ardith and Hollis Blackwood's…
Facing My Last Year of High School
Every school year brings a new set of challenges and apprehensions, but no school year feels as stressful as the last year of high school. Many seniors find themselves standing on the precipice of adulthood and facing a life outside the structures of public school. While senior year brings many joys, it can bring some concerns. Daniella, a Story Teen Intern at the Central Branch, took some time out of her busy schedule to offer a few thoughts about her senior year. --Bklyn Future This school year will be my last year as a high school student, and I’ll be transitioning into adulthood.…
Hispanic Heritage Month Booklist
“I’ve put up with too much, too long, and now I’m just too intelligent, too powerful, too beautiful, too sure of who I am finally to deserve anything less.”— Sandra Cisneros Did you know that National Hispanic Heritage Month is observed every year in the U.S. from September 15 to October 15? Why? To "celebrate the histories, cultures and contributions of American citizens whose ancestors came from Spain, Mexico, the Caribbean and Central and South America." Below are ten awesome books written by Hispanic American writers with Hispanic American main characters…
Paid Opportunities and More for Teens
Apply today for internship opportunities at Brooklyn Public Library and other institutions around NYC! Brooklyn Public Library paid internships BPL has three internship applications open, with more to come. Sign up here for our teen newsletter to stay up-to-date about all of our opportunities for teens. You can also find info about our programs and internships at bklynlibrary.org/teens, and follow us on Instagram @bklynfuture. BPL: BookMatch Teen Learn the art of recommending books and offer a readers’ advisory service exclusive to teens. Along the way, meet new friends…
Teen Book Review: Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe
When I stumbled upon the book Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe, written by Benjamin Alire Saenz, I immediately felt seen as a person. Not only was it my first piece of queer literature, it served as a love letter for Mexican-American queer adolescents– a revolutionary concept to me at the time. The book follows two Mexican-American teenagers exploring facets of their identity when grappling with cultural norms, social conformity, and hidden family secrets, in the midst of the AIDS epidemic. Aristotle and Dante meet in a public pool, where Dante teaches Ari…
Period Protection For Back to School
Pencils? Check. Notebooks? Check. Bookbag? Check. Scientific calculator? Check. Uniform shirt? Check. Pads and tampons? Uh-oh! When preparing for the new school year, heading to the Staples and Rumi to stock up on cute stationery supplies seems like a no brainer but how about the menstrual hygiene aisle at the supermarket? Although all New York public middle and high schools are required to have free period products available in the restrooms, it’s easy to be caught unaware. Bathroom dispensers in schools, however, are only a drop in a bucket compared to the millions of menstruators who…
Ten Upcoming YA Releases to Put on Hold!
1. All Alone With You by Amelia Diane Coombs: Eloise Deane is the worst and doesn't care who knows it. She's grumpy, prefers to be alone, and is just slogging through senior year with one goal: get accepted to USC and move to California. So when her guidance counselor drops the bombshell that to score a scholarship she'll desperately need, her applications require volunteer hours, Eloise is up for the challenge. Until she's paired with LifeCare, a volunteer agency that offers social support to lonely seniors through phone calls and visits. Basically, it's a total nightmare for Eloise's…
Park Slope Book Lovers Group Wants YOUR Vote!
If you’re a teenager who enjoys reading then the Teens’ Top Ten might be something you’d like to look into. The Teens' Top Ten is a “teen choice" award, where teens choose their favorite books of the previous year. This year twenty-five amazing books have been nominated and now from August 15 to October 15 it’s up to all of us - teens across the country - to vote and narrow those twenty-five books to the best ten. Beginning August 15, teens can vote online here. You can find all titles at Brooklyn Public Library. Visit your local branch or our online catalog to place holds! Are you…
August is Romance Awareness Month
August is the start of Romance Awareness Month, but it’s not just another time of the year to stress about your romantic prospects (or lack thereof). Romance Awareness Month has come to represent a time to enjoy the meet-cutes, enemies to lovers, and forced proximity love stories created by some of our favorite authors. As we move into the dog days of summer, now is the perfect time to curl up with a romance novel on the beach or binge watch your favorite rom-com movies under the artic blast of your air conditioner. Streaming platforms are offering us movie adaptations of some of the most…
Summer 2023 Teen Book Releases
A Guide to the Dark by Meriam Metoui: Stranded at the Wildwood Motel while on their spring break road trip, Mira and Layla discover eight people died in their room and set out to find the connection between the deaths and the unexplainable things that keep happening inside Room 9. All the Yellow Suns by Malavika Kannan: Sixteen-year-old queer Indian American, Maya, who falls for her white, wealthy, and complicated female classmate, Juneau, is asked to join a secret society of artists, vandals, and mischief-makers who fight for justice at their school. Give Me a Sign by Anna…
A Non-Fiction Booklist
Do you also like to read about science, history, people, etc? Be sure to check out these twelve titles listed below: All Boys Aren't Blue: a memoir-manifesto by George M Johnson: A first book by the prominent journalist and LGBTQIA+ activist shares personal essays that chronicle his childhood, adolescence and college years as a Black queer youth, exploring subjects ranging from gender identity and toxic masculinity to structural marginalization and Black joy. Black Birds in the Sky: the story and legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert: A searing new work of…
Barbieheimer: Which is your choice?
Next week on July 21st, 2023, two highly-anticipated films with award-winning directors are debuting on the big screen: Greta Gerwig's Barbie and Christopher Nolan's Oppenheimer. Barbie is based on Mattel's popular doll discovering the 'real world' while Oppenheimer tells the story of the creator of the atomic bomb. While the films have completely different genres, they are both stacked with A-list casts and crews and are both expected to be hits at the box office. For Barbie, Margot Robbie stars as the titular character with Ryan Gosling as Ken; Oppenheimer…
July is Disability Pride Month!
Happy Disability Pride Month! It's held every year in July to recognize the passing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) on July 26th, 1990. The featured image is the disability pride flag and each color symbolizes a type of disability: The 2021 disability flag colors each represent a type of disability: Green: sensory disabilities Blue: emotional and psychiatric disabilities White: non-visible and undiagnosed disabilities Gold: neurodiversity Red: physical disabilities Below are five books that have disabled characters, or are written by people…
Five Books on Grief and Loss
Less than two weeks ago, my Grandma Betty passed away at 101 years old. She lived a long and active life. She and I were also quite close. I moved into her building in 2021 to help take care of her. I'm grieving her death but I'm also relieved to know she is now at peace. Below are five books that address grief and loss well. 1. Clap When You Land by Elizabeth Acevedo: Camino Rios lives for the summers when her father visits her in the Dominican Republic. But this time, on the day when his plane is supposed to land, Camino arrives at the airport to see…
For the Love of K-pop & Their Fans
It was a rare Saturday off from work in the early part of 2019. My kids were 14 and 12 years old, and in middle school at the time. The oldest was watching television and my youngest was reading scanlations of their favorite manga on the computer. I was scrolling through Twitter while making breakfast, and I saw that something called “BTS” was trending. I called out to my children, “Hey! What is a BTS and why is it trending so much on Twitter?” Both laughed at me. “Mommy,” My youngest began in their trademark dry tone. “BTS is not a ‘what,’ they’re a ‘who’ and they’re always…