If you read one book this summer...

If you read one book this summer, make it The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas.  It has received praise from all corners of the YA world. There are also a movie in development and Amandla Stenberg (of the Hunger Games) will be the lead.

Some runners-up of if you read one book this summer (by genre).

Science-fiction: Scythe by Neal Shusterman

Historical fiction- All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr

Fantasy- Red Queen series (The third book King's Cage was released recently!) by Victoria Aveyard

Mystery- I Hunt Killers by Barry Lyga

Romance- The Upside of Unrequited by Becky Albertalli

Non-fiction- Alexander Hamilton: The Making of America by Teri Kanefield

Sports- Ghost by Jason Reynolds

Realistic- Every Exquisite Thing by Matthew Quick

For advanced readers- Underground Railroad by Colson Whitehead

Middle grade- Pax by Sara Pennypacker

Pick of the Week- Five, Six, Seven, Nate!

is Five, Six, Seven, Nate! by Tim Federle. This sequel to Better Nate Than Ever bring Nate back to Broadway. This time he is cast in the fictional musical E.T. While he initially thinks this is his dream come true, reality sets in as he has to navigate the complex theater world. Despite behind the scenes drama, Nate's biggest worry is solving the mystery of his secret crush. Like the first book, this is great pick for students who love the theater and stories about pursuing your dreams.

June is LGBT Pride Month

-Lin-Manuel Miranda

Since the Stonewall Riots of June 1969, commemorations of the event were celebrated in cities across the United States. The riots began in protest of the arrest and harassment of LGBT people at the Stonewall Inn in New York City. The earliest anniversaries had political messages around changing laws and ending discrimination. More recently, Pride celebrations have been organized to show there is no shame in being gay, lesbian, bisexual, or transgender. In 2000, President Bill Clinton declared the first national Gay and Lesbian Pride month.

This year, political issues are again central to Pride month. In Chechnya (a region of the Russian Federation), LGBT people are being targeted for arrest and torture. In Uganda and other countries around the world where homosexuality is punishable by death. The United States, state legislatures in North Carolina, Texas, and other states passed laws restricting transgender people's access to public restrooms.

There are many people who are trying to resist these legal pressures, to find out more check out these resources below:
On Chechnya: https://www.theguardian.com/world/chechnya

Keko, an openly gay rapper from Uganda, talks about being an openly gay public figure in Uganda. https://www.pri.org/stories/2017-05-22/ugandan-rapper-keko-gets-real-about-her-music-her-sobriety-and-her-sexuality

Transgender bathroom bills: http://www.cnn.com/2017/03/07/health/transgender-bathroom-law-facts-myths/

There are many ways to show your pride and support the LGBT community. Stay informed and educated on the issues facing this marginalized community.

Middle School Artist of the Month- update

It has been amazing to see the talent of the Middle School artists this year. Mr. Bladyke has chosen one 7th and one 8th grade student each month to display their work in the library. Check out the slide show below to see the dazzling artistry on display.

Pick of the Week- The Hate U Give

is The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas. I rarely have an emotional reaction after reading a novel, but this story was compelling from start to finish. Starr is a student at a wealthy private school in the suburbs, and she is from a poor city neighborhood. Almost everyone in her school is white, she is black. Starr has found a way to navigate her two worlds until she is the witness to the murder of her best friend at the hands of a police officer. Though she tries to stay anonymous, her identity is revealed. As people from her home neighborhood and school community intertwine Starr will find out who her friends really are. The political and social themes of this novel are highly relevant. Come check out this New York Times best-seller.

Content Note: This novel contains curse words, casual teen drinking, and a scene depicting realistic gun violence.

Pick of the Week- The House of the Scorpion

is The House of the Scorpion by Nancy Farmer. Though this books is more than ten years old, its themes are surprisingly relevant. The dystopian setting for this book is a future where the United States and Mexico no longer exist. The border region of Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and southern California are controlled by el Patron, a ruthless drug lord. The main character, Matt, is a clone of el Patron and must navigate the tricky politics of the rival drug families. Matt is prepared to take over the empire until a stunning revelation throws his future into chaos. Tackling themes of migration, the drug trade, and belonging, the world created by Farmer is sure to captivate readers.

May is Mental Health Awareness Month

About 20% of people in the United States have some kind of mental health condition. There are many misconceptions about mental illness that often lead to stigmatization of people dealing with these conditions. This month, take some time to read and become more informed about what mental illness is and isn't. Consider these facts from the National Alliance on Mental Illness:

1 in 25 (10 million) adults in the United States lives with a serious mental illness.

60 million people in the United States face the day-to-day reality of living with a mental illness.

Half of all lifetime mental health conditions begin by age 14 and 75% by age 24, but early intervention programs can help.

African Americans and Hispanic Americans used mental health services at about half the rate of whites in the past year, and Asian Americans at about one-third the rate.

90% of those who die by suicide have an underlying mental illness. Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in the United States, but suicide is preventable.

- See more at: https://www.nami.org/Get-Involved/Awareness-Events/Awareness-Messaging?utm_source=awareness&utm_medium=website&utm_campaign=intoMH#sthash.qdVrbNBv.dpuf

For more information see these library resources:

Non-fiction:

Kemp, Donna R. Mental Health in America. 2009.

Miklowitz, David J. The Bipolar Disorder Survival Guide. 2002.

Owens, Michael L. and Amy Gelman. I'm Depressed, Now What?. 2012.

Torrey, E. Fuller and Michael B. Knable. Surviving Manic Depression. 2002.

Watkins, Heidi. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. 2010.

Wylie, John V. Diagnosing and Treating Mental Illness. 2010.

Fiction:

King, Wesley. OCDaniel. 2016.

Scelsa, Kate. Fans of the Impossible Life. 2015.

Shusterman, Neal. Challenger Deep. 2015.

Whaley, John Corey. Highly Illogical Behavior. 2016.