Lily | Thomas Ford Memorial Library

What I do at the library: I am the Teen/Tween Librarian. My main responsibilities are planning and running teen/tween programming, and ordering all things teen/tween including books, video games, and teen library of things items. In addition to that, I work at the reference desk and the teen/tween desk.

What I like to do outside the library: I used to be a photography instructor, so you can often find me with a camera in front of my face. I also enjoy playing disc golf, running, walking, gardening, and going to museums. My favorite museum is the Art Institute of Chicago.

I like books that grab my attention from the first page, teach me something new, make me feel like I’m in another world or time period, and open up new perspectives.

For Tweens

The Right Call

From award-winning author Tommy Greenwald comes a thrilling companion novel to Game Changer that explores the growing pressures in youth sports, and the lengths some parents will go to make sure their kid comes out on top

Cal Klondike's life revolves around baseball. He's the Walthorne Baseball Academy's star pitcher, and everyone from his coach to his dad to the town sports blogger is telling Cal he has an unlimited future in the sport. But with all this attention comes a lot of added stress, especially as the season kicks into high gear and college and pro scouts start to show up at the games. Inevitably, tensions that have been bubbling under the surface finally boil over, culminating in a confrontation that could change Cal's relationship to baseball forever.

Told through a combination of transcripts, articles, texts, and emails, The Right Call is a gripping, fast-paced story for middle grade readers about our split-second decisions, facing the consequences, and the courage it takes to forgive.

The Factory

Step inside the Factory in this suspenseful exploration of power, exploitation, and the nature of time that Kirkus calls a "gripping, fast-paced story with a cliffhanger ending," and a "complex beginning to what will surely be a sought-after series"!

Thirteen-year-old Asher Doyle is no stranger to misfortune. Bullied at school and struggling with problems at home, he dreams of the day he can leave it all behind him. That's when he receives an unexpected opportunity: an invitation to join the Factory -- a top-secret research facility that's supposedly developing renewable energy -- and Asher will be paid handsomely for his participation. It seems like the answer to all his problems.

But not everything is as it seems at the Factory. The other kids in the program are tired and sullen, almost as if they've had the life sucked out of them, and the staff members are clearly hiding something. What's more, Asher discovers he wasn't chosen at random; someone in the program desperately wants him to participate. Asher can't help but feel that whatever the Factory is doing, it's not what he or any of the other kids signed up for.

To Asher's horror, it turns out that the Factory isn't developing renewable energy at all. So what is the Factory up to, and more important, why? As conditions in the Factory worsen, Asher must team up with the other kids to uncover the sinister truth behind the experiment -- and his personal connection to it -- before someone gets seriously hurt.

The Incredibly Human Henson Blayze

LONGISTED FOR THE NATIONAL BOOK AWARD • Newbery Honoree Derrick Barnes tackles timely issues of race and prejudice in this powerful, nuanced novel about an accomplished Black boy who strives to be seen for who he is.

“A novel that is empowered, empowering, and incredibly human. You won't be the same after reading it.”—Erin Entrada Kelly, two-time winner of the Newbery Medal

★ “Bold, extraordinary storytelling: not to be missed.”—Kirkus Reviews, starred review

In the small town of Great Mountain, Mississippi, all eyes are on Henson Blayze, a thirteen-year-old football phenom whose talents seem almost superhuman. The predominately white townsfolk have been waiting for Henson to play high school ball, and now they’re overjoyed to finally possess an elite Black athlete of their own.

Until a horrifying incident forces Henson to speak out about injustice.
Until he says that he might not play football anymore.
Until he quickly learns he isn’t as loved by the people as he thought.

Overnight, Henson’s town is divided into two chaotic sides—those that support his decisions, and those that don’t—when all he wants is justice. Even his best friends and his father can’t see eye to eye. When he is told to play ball again or else, Henson must decide whether he was born to entertain those who may not even see him as human, or if he’s destined for a different kind of greatness.

Written for children ages 10 and up, Derrick Barnes’s groundbreaking novel masterfully combines a modern-day allegory with classic-style tall tales to weave a compelling story of America’s obsession with relegating Black people to labor or entertainment. Spanning the 1800s to today, this exceptional novel shows how much has changed over centuries . . . and, at the same time, how little.

Whale Eyes

★ 5 STARRED REVIEWS ★

★ “Lively, interactive...truly eye-opening." —Booklist
★ “A sincere reflection on childhood...growing up in a world not built with him in mind." —Publishers Weekly
★ “A superb middle grade memoir that champions empathy and understanding on every level.” —BookPage
★ “Game-changing curriculum add for any teacher” —The Bulletin for the Center of Children’s Books
★ “A moving memoir…this is an important book for all readers.” —School Library Journal

From Emmy Award–winning documentary filmmaker James Robinson comes a breathtaking illustrated memoir for readers ages 10 and up—inspired by the viral, Emmy-nominated short film Whale Eyes.

Told through an experimental mix of intimate anecdotes and interactive visuals, this book immerses readers in James’s experiences growing up with strabismus, allowing them to see the world through one eye at a time.

Readers will get lost as they chase words. They’ll stare into this book while taking a vision test. They’ll hold it upside down as they practice “pretend-reading”…and they’ll follow an unlikely trail toward discovering the power of words.

With poignant illustrations by Eisner Award–nominated artist Brian Rea, James’s story equips readers of all ages with the tools to confront their discomfort with disability and turn confused, blank stares into powerful connections.

Blood in the Water

The instant New York Times bestseller!

*This stunning edition features sprayed edges. While supplies last!*

Mega bestselling and award-winning author Tiffany D. Jackson (The Weight of Blood; White Smoke) makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with a can't-put-it-down murder mystery set on Martha's Vineyard. R.L. Stine, bestselling author of Goosebumps, says, "Don't miss this one!"

This summer, beware of sharks...

Brooklyn girl Kaylani McKinnon feels like a fish out of water. She's spending the summer with family friends in their huge house on Martha's Vineyard, and the vibe is definitely snooty. Still, there are beautiful beaches, lots of ice cream, and a town full of fascinating Black history. Plus a few kids her age who seem friendly.

Until the shocking death of a popular teenage boy rocks the community to its core. Was it a drowning? A shark attack? Or the unthinkable--murder?

Kaylani is determined to solve the mystery. But her investigation leads her to uncover shocking secrets that could change her own life as she knows it... if she survives.

New York Times bestselling author Tiffany D. Jackson makes her thrilling middle-grade debut with this heart-pounding mystery packed with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the end.

How to Say Goodbye in Cuban

Here is the dramatic coming-of-age graphic novel memoir of 12-year-old Carlos (who would grow up to become the author’s father), his life during the Cuban Revolution, and his family’s harrowing escape to America.

A PUBLISHERS WEEKLY BEST BOOK OF THE YEAR

Carlos, who lives in a small town in the Cuban countryside, loves to play baseball with his best friend, Alvaro, and to shoot home-made slingshots with his abuelo.

One day, a miracle happens: Carlos' father, his papi, wins the lottery! He uses the money to launch his own furniture business and to move the family to a big house in the city.

Carlos hates having to move -- hates leaving Abuelo and Alvaro behind -- and hates being called country kid at his new school. But the pains of moving and middle school turn out to be the least of his problems.

When rebel leader Fidel Castro overthrows the existing Cuban president, the entire country is thrust into revolution. Then, suddenly, Papi disappears. Carlos' mother tells him that Papi has gone to America, and that they will soon join him. But Carlos really doesn't want to leave Cuba, the only home he's ever known. Besides, how will they get to America when Castro's soldiers are policing their every move? Will Carlos ever see his father again?

This powerful book about a boy coming of age amid massive political upheaval tells a timeless story of one family's quest for freedom and for a new place to call home.

Candace, the Universe, and Everything

A speculative middle grade novel about three generations of Black girls connected across time and space through a wormhole in their school locker.

What if your locker was a wormhole to the past?

On the first day of eighth grade, Candace Wells opens her locker and is astonished when an unusual bird flies out. Soon after, a notebook mysteriously appears on the top shelf, labeled Tracey Auburn, 1988. Stranger still, as Candace reads the notebook, new messages start to appear.

Professor Tracey Auburn only vaguely remembers a bird flying into her locker in eighth grade, way back in 1988, and losing a notebook she could have sworn she put on the top shelf. Until Candace shows up at her office with the missing notebook forty years later.

Quantum physicist Loretta Spencer will never forget the bird flying out of her locker in eighth grade in 1948. Her life’s work has been to study the portal and others like it, and now she needs Tracey’s and Candace’s help to complete her research.

So begins an unlikely friendship and a hunt around Chicago and the state of Illinois to uncover the secrets of the locker, the universe, and everything. One thing’s for sure: Eighth grade will never be the same again.

The Poetry of Car Mechanics

“This beautifully crafted novel sings and soars.”
—Nikki Grimes, author of Ordinary Hazards

Dylan seeks solace through birdwatching and poetry in the woods behind his grandfather’s auto shop—but when he rescues an injured hawk, he must learn to confront the broken parts in himself in this powerful middle-grade novel-in-verse.

15-year-old Dylan has always felt like an outsider in his small town. Isolated when he was younger as the result of his unpredictable, now absent mother and feeling like a disappointment to his grandfather who has stepped in to raise him, Dylan finds relief in the woods behind his grandfather's auto shop. Amidst the cool quiet of the trees, Dylan thrives on bird watching and writing poetry. But one afternoon after spotting an injured hawk, Dylan finds himself pushing out of his comfort zone to track down help for the bird—and ends up rescuing a part of himself in the process.

In this luminous middle-grade novel-in-verse on navigating the lonely tumult of self-discovery amid complicated family history, Dylan relays his story with bracing emotional clarity.

Coach

Three starred reviews!

In this companion to Jason Reynolds’s award-winning and New York Times bestselling Track series, meet Coach as a boy striving to come into his own as a track star while facing upheaval at home.

Before Coach was the man who gave caring yet firm-handed guidance to Ghost, Lu, Patina, and Sunny on the Defenders track team, he was little Otie Brody, who was obsessed with Mr. 9.99 (a.k.a. Carl Lewis) and Marty McFly from Back to the Future. Like Mr. 9.99—and his own dad—Otie is a sprinter. Sprint free or die is practically his motto.

Then his dad, who is always away on business trips, comes home with a pair of Jordans. JORDANS. Fine as fine can be. Otie puts them on and feels like he can leap to the moon…maybe even leap like Mr. 9.99 when he won the Olympic gold medal in the long jump. But one morning he wakes up to find his brand-new secret weapon kicks are missing—right off his feet! And Otie just might have a fuzzy memory of his dad easing them off as Otie was sleeping, but that can’t be right, can it?

Unless all the reasons for his dad’s “gone’s” are very different from what he’s been told… Because now, not only are the Jordans missing, but so is his father.

How the Word Is Passed (Adapted for Young Readers)

Adapted from Clint Smith's #1 New York Times bestselling and universally acclaimed How the Word Is Passed, this must-read narrative takes readers to historical sites across America, exploring the legacy of slavery to help readers make sense of our nation's past and present, and be better stewards of their own future.

Beginning in his own hometown of New Orleans, Clint Smith leads young readers through an unforgettable tour of monuments and landmarks--those that are honest about the past and those that are not--offering an intergenerational story of how slavery has been central in shaping our nation's collective history, and ourselves.

How the Word Is Passed illustrates how some of our country's most essential stories are hidden in plain view--whether in places we might drive by on our way to school, holidays such as Juneteenth, or entire neighborhoods (like downtown Manhattan) on which the brutal history of the trade in enslaved people has been deeply imprinted.

Informed by scholarship and brought alive by the story of people living today, this adaptation of Clint Smith's #1 bestselling, award-winning work of nonfiction offers kids a new understanding of the hopeful role that memory and history can play in making sense of our country, and shows how they can reckon with the past and present to become better stewards of their future.

For Teens

All's Fair in Love and Field Hockey

A high school field hockey star must choose between her love of the game and her new, distractingly beautiful rival in this queer YA romance perfect for fans of She Drives Me Crazy and Cleat Cute!

"A masterclass in romantic tension."—Becky Albertalli, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda

Evelyn was raised to see field hockey as war.

Before she could write her own name, her family’s legacy on the field was already spelled out. Every step Evelyn takes toward glory is within a footprint her mother left behind. And no step matters more than this next one, with Evelyn about to lead her varsity team into their final battle season. Evelyn is beyond ready to score the Nationals title and win the critical scholarship to her mom’s alma mater that comes with it.

This year, she’s out for blood, and nothing can stand in her way...

...except for Rosa Alvarez, the highly talented new recruit on her biggest rival’s team.

After a humiliating homecoming game and follow-up prank leave the two enemies in a stalemate, they grudgingly strike a deal to help each other overcome their weaknesses on the field. But the more time Evelyn spends with Rosa, the more she finds herself casting her hardened armor aside, until she begins to wonder what life might be like if she left the battlefield behind and fought for love instead.

"This one’s definitely a keeper!”—Jennifer Dugan, bestselling author of Some Girls Do

Deadstream

Rear Window meets The Ring in this sinister YA thriller, in which a teen girl witnesses the livestreamed murder of a popular online streamer by a paranormal entity . . . and could be its next victim.

After surviving a car accident that claimed the life of her best friend, Teresa is now terrified to leave the safety of her bedroom. Since then, her only solace and window to the outside world has been the online community she found through streaming.

But one night, the safe world Teresa created starts to break down. A shadowy figure appears in the background of her favorite's streamer's video, and his behavior mysteriously changes over the next few days before he dies in front of thousands of viewers. Teresa finds herself at the center of a life-and-death investigation as the world tries to figure out what or who this figure could be . . . especially as it begins appearing in the other people's streams, compelling them to "open the door" and let it in—including Teresa’s own. In order to save herself and the rest of the internet from this relentless entity, Teresa must venture outside of the mental and physical walls she’s created. But will she be able to conquer her fears before anyone else loses their life?

Best of All Worlds

From award-winning author Kenneth Oppel a startling, can't-wait-to-talk-about-it-with-someone novel that defies genre to create a survival thriller unlike any you've read before. For fans of Leave the World Behind, A.S. King, M.T. Anderson, and Margaret Atwood.

Xavier Oaks doesn't particularly want to go to the cabin with his dad and his dad's pregnant new wife, Nia. But family obligations are family obligations, and it's only for a short time. So he leaves his mom, his brother, and his other friends behind for a week in the woods. Only... one morning he wakes up and the house isn't where it was before. It's like it's been lifted and placed... somewhere else.

When Xavier, his dad, and Nia go explore, they find they are inside a dome, trapped. And there's no one else around...

Until, three years later, another family arrives.

Is there any escape? Is there a reason they are stuck where they are? Different people have different answers -- and those different answers inexorably lead to tension, strife, and sacrifice.

In this masterpiece, award-winning author Kenneth Oppel builds to a heart-stopping pitch in drawing a story that feels very much of our moment, where our very human choices collectively lead to humanity's eventual fate.

The Steps

Riverdale meets The Queen's Gambit in this fun, twisty thriller by an Edgar Award-winning author, featuring a deliciously dysfunctional family with dark secrets and shifting alliances.

Fourteen-year-old chess whiz Ruby Vossen tries to keep to herself. She refuses to be a pawn in her wealthy family's web of deception.

But ever since Ruby's mother and aunt died in a car wreck, the battle lines drawn within the Vossen clan have ruled her life. Ruby's father and uncle became irreparably estranged, and within months, Ruby's cousin/BFF was banished from her life, her father remarried, and she wound up with a gold-digging stepmom who has two teens of her own--The Steps.

So when strange and dangerous things begin happening on the Vossen estate, Ruby sees only one logical explanation: The Steps are scheming to inherit the Vossen fortune. And as things get more and more intense, it seems like killing is in their playbook.

Luckily, Ruby has her own playbook, and she's not about to go down without a fight. She'll even break her dad's rules to get her cousin back on her side of the chessboard . . . It's time to check-mate The Steps before they can finish the Vossens off.

Secrets, lies, and lethal threats abound in this clever, quirky thriller by the award-winning, bestselling author of Flipped and the Sammy Keyes mysteries.

Up in Smoke

"A dynamic and heart-pounding thriller . . . Up In Smoke has the highest of stakes and a tender love story at its core. Nick Brooks is a force." —Jessica Goodman, NYT-bestselling author of The Meadowbrook Murders and The Legacies

A girl determined to clear her brother's name. A boy determined to keep his out of the line of fire. A secret smoldering between them. This edge-of-your-seat mystery from the author of Promise Boys is perfect for fans of Karen McManus and The Hate U Give.

Unmask a murderer or take the fall.

After Cooper King is pressured by big brother figure Jason to go on a looting spree during a local march, the unthinkable happens: gunshots ring in the air and someone ends up dead. After Cooper flees, the news shows four teens in ski masks near the scene of the murder—Cooper and his friends. Cooper fears the cops will come knocking at his door, and the pressure only mounts when a suspect is taken into custody: Jason.

Monique, Jason's sister and Cooper's longtime crush, is willing to go any length to clear her brother's name. Even if she needs to go into the belly of the beast and confront the killer herself. When she teams up with Cooper, they fall down the investigation rabbit hole and start to fall for each other. But little does Monique know that within this web of deception, Cooper is shrouding the truth that he was there when the shots went off. If the pair fail to uncover the real murderer, Jason will get locked up for a crime he didn't commit—and drag down Cooper with him.

Pick this up if you love:
● high stakes, dual POV thrillers
● page-turning mysteries
● will-they-won't-they romance
● twists and turns you never see coming

Let Them Stare

An instant New York Times and Indie bestseller!

From Emmy Award winner Jonathan Van Ness of Queer Eye and #1 New York Times bestselling author Julie Murphy comes a bighearted story about friendship, love--and discovering the secrets and beauty of your own hometown.

Sully is ready to get out of Hearst, Pennsylvania. With a fashion internship secured, the gender-nonconforming eighteen-year-old is trading in their stifling small town for the big city. Sully even sells their beloved car, to Bread--er, Brad--the most boring (and maybe only other) gay kid in town.

When Sully's internship goes up in smoke, they're trapped in Hearst with no cash--and no car. Desperate, they go to the thrift store, their personal sanctuary. There, they discover a vintage bag--like "put this baby in an airtight case at the MET" vintage. If Sully can authenticate it, the resale value would be enough for a new life in the city.

But when they begin to investigate, Sully finds themself haunted. Literally. With the ghost of Rufus, a drag performer from the fifties with no memory of how he died standing--no, floating--in their bedroom, Sully's summer has a new purpose: 1) help this ghostly honey unlock his past and move on and 2) make bank--after all, the Real Real doesn't take poltergeist purses.

With Rufus in tow, and Brad--who's looking pretty scrumptious these days--playing chauffeur, Sully delves into the history of the town they're so desperate to escape. Only to discover that there might be more to Hearst than they ever knew.

"A quirky, passionate, rebellious, and quick-witted novel." -- Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

The Rose Bargain

*An instant New York Times bestseller!

Vying for the hand of one brother.

Falling in love with the other.

A new Victorian-inspired romantasy, perfect for fans of Bridgerton, The Selection, and The Cruel Prince.

"If you're looking for the next YA sensation, here it is." --Adalyn Grace, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Belladonna

London, 1848--For four hundred years, England has been under the control of an immortal fae queen who tricked her way onto the throne. To maintain an illusion of benevolence, Queen Mor grants each of her subjects one opportunity to bargain for their deepest desire.

As Ivy Benton prepares to make her debut, she knows that not even a deal with the queen could fix what has gone wrong: Her family's social standing is in shambles, her sister is a shadow of her former self, and Ivy's marriage prospects are nonexistent. So when the queen announces a competition for Prince Bram's hand, Ivy is the first to sign her name in blood. What a bargain can't fix, a crown certainly could.

Ivy soon finds herself a surprising front-runner--with the help of an unexpected ally: Prince Bram's brother, the rakish Prince Emmett, who promises to help Ivy win his brother's heart...for a price. But as the season sweeps Ivy away, with glittering balls veiling the queen's increasingly vicious trials, Ivy realizes there's more at stake than just a wedding. Because all faerie bargains come with a cost, and Ivy may have discovered hers too late.

From the New York Times bestselling author of The Witch Haven comes a tale that will leave readers eager to bargain for a sequel.

The Inheritance Games

OVER 1 MILLION COPIES SOLD OF THE #1 BESTSELLING SERIES!

Don't miss this New York Times bestselling "impossible to put down" (Buzzfeed) novel with deadly stakes, thrilling twists, and juicy secrets -- perfect for fans of One of Us is Lying and Knives Out.

Avery Grambs has a plan for a better future: survive high school, win a scholarship, and get out. But her fortunes change in an instant when billionaire Tobias Hawthorne dies and leaves Avery virtually his entire fortune. The catch? Avery has no idea why -- or even who Tobias Hawthorne is.

To receive her inheritance, Avery must move into sprawling, secret passage-filled Hawthorne House, where every room bears the old man's touch -- and his love of puzzles, riddles, and codes. Unfortunately for Avery, Hawthorne House is also occupied by the family that Tobias Hawthorne just dispossessed. This includes the four Hawthorne grandsons: dangerous, magnetic, brilliant boys who grew up with every expectation that one day, they would inherit billions. Heir apparent Grayson Hawthorne is convinced that Avery must be a conwoman, and he's determined to take her down. His brother, Jameson, views her as their grandfather's last hurrah: a twisted riddle, a puzzle to be solved. Caught in a world of wealth and privilege with danger around every turn, Avery will have to play the game herself just to survive.

** Avery's story continues in The Hawthorne Legacy and The Final Gambit

The Scammer

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.

One of the Boys

A New York Times Bestseller

Grace Woodhouse was a star kicker with a D1 future, but that was before she came out as transgender and quit football. Now, as senior year begins, Grace is navigating a new life with queer friends and a fresh perspective.

But when her old teammates beg her to rejoin the Pageland High football team, Grace can't resist the call of the game. Can she be both a star football player and a trans girl? As Grace steps back onto the field, she'll face transphobia, navigate complicated feelings for her ex-girlfriend, and learn to unite her past and present. One of the Boys is a heartfelt, funny, and inspiring story about self-discovery, breaking stereotypes, and the power of solidarity, all wrapped up in an unforgettable season of high school football.

Perfect for fans of sports stories and authentic queer narratives, this book is a winning game of "feelingsball" you won't want to miss!"

P R A I S E

"Heartfelt, hilarious, and blisteringly honest. One of the Boys is genuinely one of the best contemporary YAs I've ever had the pleasure of reading."
-- Andrew Joseph White, NYTimes bestselling author of Compound Fracture

"Completely and beautifully immersed in the world of its sport, One of the Boys is as funny as it is emotional, as honest as it is hopeful, and as exciting as it is comforting. This is exactly the book I wanted to read, and Grace is exactly the protagonist I wanted to follow. Her voice, much like Victoria Zeller's prose, is a joy. I absolutely loved it."
-- KT Hoffman, author of The Prospects

★ "A standout first work, setting a high bar for the blooming subgenre of queer sports fiction."
-- Booklist (starred)

★ "One of the Boys is an amazing feel-good read for any teen (or adult!) who loves football--but for those who know nothing about the sport, Zeller does a great job making it accessible. Alongside great sports plays and banter, Zeller also prioritizes "feelingsball," or mapping Grace's mental and emotional journey as she works to unite the football world and the LGBTQ+ world, two spaces with long-held stereotypes and prejudices against each other. One of the Boys is a standout work of YA fiction, as inspiring and illuminating as it is funny and relatable."
-- BookPage (starred)

★ "Zeller artfully exposes the tender underbelly of locker room posturing, presenting a subversive, experience-informed interpretation of toxic masculinity... An intersectionally diverse cast--which includes Grace's taciturn yet supportive single father--helps the protagonist forge her own path and blaze a trail for others in this necessary debut."
-- Publishers Weekly (starred)

For Adults

Counting Descent

Within the pages of Counting Descent a captivating coming-of-age narrative unfolds - that challenges, complicates, and ultimately enriches our understanding of lineage, tradition, and the multifaceted nature of identity.

In the intricate tapestry of Counting Descent, Clint Smith expertly navigates the nuances of belonging and dissonance. Through his poetic lens, he guides us through the labyrinthine experience of being part of a community that fiercely and unapologetically celebrates the richness of black humanity. Yet, this celebration exists in juxtaposition with the world outside, a world that often distorts blackness into a distorted and unwarranted caricature of fear.

Smith's poems move fluidly across personal and political histories, all the while reflecting on the social construction of our lived experiences. Smith brings the reader on a powerful journey forcing us to reflect on all that we learn growing up, and all that we seek to unlearn moving forward.

Rumors of My Demise

Evan Dando, front man of The Lemonheads and “poster boy—and prettiest boy—of Gen X” (The New York Times), spills the true story of his band’s tumultuous history and what it was like to be famous in the pre-internet days in this candid, colorful, and unputdownable memoir.

After Kurt Cobain’s passing in 1994, everyone expected Evan Dando to be next. The Lemonheads front man, songwriter and actor started in the ’80s hardcore scene and went on to become a ’90s icon. Think of Evan Dando, and you think of heroin chic, grunge, and celebrity burnout. Perhaps known as much for his partying and boyish good looks, after two gold records and the kind of fame that you just can’t enjoy anymore, the Lemonheads cooled off and life went on.

Dando grew up in Boston, the son of a lawyer and a model, and attended the prestigious Commonwealth School. Fame was never what motivated him but the lure of the wild life proved trickier to refuse. From sneaking into concerts as a child, to sleeping on floors in the punk rock days, to crashing at Johnny Depp’s place in Hollywood, he was right there in the thick of it. So much so, that social media once reported his death.

Now, very much alive, sober, and enjoying a life in South America when he’s not on the road, Evan Dando is going to tell his own story. His memoir will remind readers what was so great about the pre-internet ’90s: the innocence, the access, and the anonymity. Reclaiming the purity and exuberance of his early days and encapsulating the spirit of the era, this candid autobiography presents a portrait of an artist who lives wholly for his music, and one that makes no apologies for doing so.

Everything Is Tuberculosis

Instant #1 New York Times bestseller! • #1 Washington Post bestseller! • #1 Indie Bestseller! • USA Today Bestseller!

John Green, acclaimed author and passionate advocate for global healthcare reform, tells a deeply human story illuminating the fight against the world’s deadliest infectious disease. Signed edition

“The real magic of Green’s writing is the deeply considerate, human touch that goes into every word.” –The Associated Press

″Told with the intelligence, wit, and tragedy that have become hallmarks of the author’s work.... This is the story of us.” –Slate

“Earnest and empathetic.” –The New York Times

Tuberculosis has been entwined with humanity for millennia. Once romanticized as a malady of poets, today tuberculosis is seen as a disease of poverty that walks the trails of injustice and inequity we blazed for it.

In 2019, author John Green met Henry Reider, a young tuberculosis patient at Lakka Government Hospital in Sierra Leone. John became fast friends with Henry, a boy with spindly legs and a big, goofy smile. In the years since that first visit to Lakka, Green has become a vocal advocate for increased access to treatment and wider awareness of the healthcare inequities that allow this curable, preventable infectious disease to also be the deadliest, killing over a million people every year.

In Everything Is Tuberculosis, John tells Henry’s story, woven through with the scientific and social histories of how tuberculosis has shaped our world—and how our choices will shape the future of tuberculosis.

My Friends

#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER!

A Most Anticipated Book of 2025: Goodreads • USA TODAY • Marie Claire • BookPage • Literary Lifestyle • Book Riot • Sunset Magazine • Totally Booked with Zibby Owens * A Fallon Book Club Pick

The #1 New York Times bestselling author of Anxious People returns with an unforgettably funny, deeply moving tale of four teenagers whose friendship creates a bond so powerful that it changes a complete stranger’s life twenty-five years later.

Most people don’t even notice them—three tiny figures sitting at the end of a long pier in the corner of one of the most famous paintings in the world. Most people think it’s just a depiction of the sea. But Louisa, an aspiring artist herself, knows otherwise, and she is determined to find out the story of these three enigmatic figures.

Twenty-five years earlier, in a distant seaside town, a group of teenagers find refuge from their bruising home lives by spending long summer days on an abandoned pier, telling silly jokes, sharing secrets, and committing small acts of rebellion. These lost souls find in each other a reason to get up each morning, a reason to dream, a reason to love.

Out of that summer emerges a transcendent work of art, a painting that will unexpectedly be placed into eighteen-year-old Louisa’s care. She embarks on a surprise-filled cross-country journey to learn how the painting came to be and to decide what to do with it. The closer she gets to the painting’s birthplace, the more nervous she becomes about what she’ll find. Louisa is proof that happy endings don’t always take the form we expect in this stunning testament to the transformative, timeless power of friendship and art.

We All Live Here

The #1 New York Times bestselling author, whose books so many love, brings us a fresh, contemporary story of a woman and her unruly blended family

“Nobody writes women the way Jojo Moyes does.” —Jodi Picoult

Lila Kennedy has a lot on her plate. A broken marriage, two wayward daughters, a house that is falling apart, and an elderly stepfather who seems to have quietly moved in. Her career is in freefall and her love life is . . . complicated. So when her real dad—a man she has barely seen since he ran off to Hollywood thirty-five years ago—suddenly appears on her doorstep, it feels like the final straw. But it turns out even the family you thought you could never forgive might have something to teach you: about love, and what it actually means to be family.

The Harder I Fight the More I Love You

A NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER

AN APPLE BEST BOOK OF THE MONTH

Singer-songwriter Neko Case paints a vivid portrait of an extraordinary life--one forged through a poverty-stricken childhood, obsessive desire, bursts of comedy, and indispensable friendships--reflecting on the way art, music, and a deep connection to nature helped her become a beloved, Grammy-nominated artist.

Neko Case has long been revered as one of music's most influential artists, whose authenticity, lyrical storytelling, and sly wit have endeared her to a legion of critics, musicians, and lifelong fans. In THE HARDER I FIGHT THE MORE I LOVE YOU, Case brings her trademark candor and precision to a memoir that traces her evolution from an invisible girl "raised by two dogs and a space heater" in rural Washington state to her improbable emergence as an internationally-acclaimed talent.

In luminous, sharp-edged prose, Case shows readers what it's like to be left alone for hours and hours as a child, to take refuge in the woods around her home, and to channel the monotony and loneliness and joy that comes from music, camaraderie, and shared experience into art.

THE HARDER I FIGHT THE MORE I LOVE YOU is a rebellious meditation on identity and corruption, and a manifesto on how to make space for ourselves in this world, despite the obstacles we face.

James

A brilliant, action-packed reimagining of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn, both harrowing and ferociously funny, told from the enslaved Jim's point of view.

From the "literary icon" (Oprah Daily), Pulitzer Prize Finalist, and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime

When the enslaved Jim overhears that he is about to be sold to a man in New Orleans, separated from his wife and daughter forever, he decides to hide on nearby Jackson Island until he can formulate a plan. Meanwhile, Huck Finn has faked his own death to escape his violent father, recently returned to town. As all readers of American literature know, thus begins the dangerous and transcendent journey by raft down the Mississippi River toward the elusive and too-often-unreliable promise of the Free States and beyond.

While many narrative set pieces of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn remain in place (floods and storms, stumbling across both unexpected death and unexpected treasure in the myriad stopping points along the river's banks, encountering the scam artists posing as the Duke and Dauphin...), Jim's agency, intelligence and compassion are shown in a radically new light.

Brimming with the electrifying humor and lacerating observations that have made Everett a "literary icon" (Oprah Daily), and one of the most decorated writers of our lifetime, James is destined to be a major publishing event and a cornerstone of twenty-first century American literature.

Blackbird House

With "incantatory prose" that "sweeps over the reader like a dream," ("Philadelphia Inquirer), Hoffman follows her celebrated bestseller "The Probable Future, with an evocative work that traces the lives of the various occupants of an old Massachusetts house over a span of two hundred years.
In a rare and gorgeous departure, beloved novelist Alice Hoffman weaves a web of tales, all set in Blackbird House. This small farm on the outer reaches of Cape Cod is a place that is as bewitching and alive as the characters we meet: Violet, a brilliant girl who is in love with books and with a man destined to betray her; Lysander Wynn, attacked by a halibut as big as a horse, certain that his life is ruined until a boarder wearing red boots
arrives to change everything; Maya Cooper, who does not understand the true meaning of the love between her mother and father until it is nearly too late. From the time of the British occupation of Massachusetts to our own modern world, family after family's lives are inexorably changed, not only by the people they love but by the lives they lead inside Blackbird House.
These interconnected narratives are as intelligent as they are haunting, as luminous as they are unusual. Inside Blackbird House more than a dozen men and women learn how love transforms us and how it is the one lasting element in our lives. The past both dissipates and remains contained inside the rooms of Blackbird House, where there are terrible secrets, inspired beauty, and, above all else, a spirit of coming home.
From the writer "Time has said tells "truths powerful enough to break a reader's heart" comes a glorious travelogue through time and fate, through loss and loveand survival. Welcome to Blackbird House.

My Name Is Emilia del Valle

NATIONAL BESTSELLER • In this “stunning” (People), “riveting” (Entertainment Weekly) historical novel, a young writer journeys to South America to uncover the truth about her father—and herself.

“All of Allende’s books, My Name Is Emilia del Valle included, have the epic feel of a major Hollywood film.”—Associated Press

In San Francisco in 1866, an Irish nun, abandoned following a torrid relationship with a Chilean aristocrat, gives birth to a daughter named Emilia del Valle. Raised by a loving stepfather, Emilia grows into an independent thinker and a self-sufficient young woman.

To pursue her passion for writing, she is willing to defy societal norms. At the age of seventeen, she begins to publish pulp fiction using a man’s pen name. When these fictional worlds can no longer satisfy her sense of adventure, she turns to journalism, convincing an editor at The Daily Examiner to hire her. There she is paired with another talented reporter, Eric Whelan.

As she proves herself, her restlessness returns, until an opportunity arises to cover a brewing civil war in Chile. She seizes it, as does Eric, and while there, she meets her estranged father and delves into the violent confrontation in the country where her roots lie. As she and Eric discover love, the war escalates and Emilia finds herself in extreme danger, fearing for her life and questioning her identity and her destiny.

A riveting tale of self-discovery and love from one of the most masterful storytellers of our time, My Name Is Emilia del Valle introduces a character who will never let hold of your heart.