Featured Reads

Chappell Roan is a 2025 Grammy Award winner for Best New Artist. The queer queen’s meteoric rise from small-town girl to pop icon is a story of self-discovery, resilience, and triumph. With a back-and-forth journey that resulted in your favorite artists’ favorite artist and a TikTok sensation hit after hit, there is much to discuss about how this Midwesterner paved her own path and made her voice loud in Hollywood. Chappell Roan captures the star’s personal and professional journey, celebrating her talent, fierce creativity, and commitment to self-expression and LGBTQ+ representation. Find glimpses into her songwriting process as this book unveils how Roan stays true to her individuality in an industry often demanding conformity. 

From overcoming challenges as an emerging artist to crafting a distinct image and voice, Chappell Roan’s story of self-acceptance and resilience has inspired her fans to embrace their own identities without compromise. Filled with emotional depth, candid stories, and stunning visuals, this book is a celebration of how one artist is reshaping the pop world, and perfect for fans of Chappell Roan and music lovers alike.

Her journey from portraying the main character’s best friend to Grammy Award winner, Sabrina Carpenter won two Grammys in 2025 for Best Pop Vocal Album for Short n’ Sweet and Best Pop Solo Performance for “Espresso.” With a number of catchy singles featuring tongue-in-cheek lyricism, it is no surprise that Sabrina Carpenter has made a name for herself as a modern pop princess. But did you know, before her rise on the music charts, Carpenter was also an actress on the Disney Channel? With a rocket ship rise to fame, Sabrina Carpenter is a visually dynamic biography of the star, documenting her first recording contract and her famous friends and relationships, and detailing one of the most talked about talents who has left “quite an impression” on Hollywood. 

More than four centuries ago in India, a Muslim woman ruled a magnificent empire: Nur Jahan, whose name means 'light of the world.' Nur led troops into battle atop an elephant, hunted tigers, designed public buildings, and issued coinage and royal decrees in her own name. In a world dominated by men, her astute handling of court politics and affairs of state propelled her to the position of co-sovereign of the vast Mughal empire--and made her mighty enemies who would plot to bring about her downfall.

A 2025 EUREKA! Nonfiction Children's Book Awards Gold Winner
Hiroshima survivor Setsuko Thurlow shares her memories of that horrific event and her resulting lifelong commitment to activism to ban nuclear arms.

When Setsuko Thurlow was thirteen, she witnessed one of history's most horrific events. She experienced--and survived--the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to educate people about the catastrophe and to ensure that it never happens again. As a leading member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), she gave the acceptance speech when the organization won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Never Silent recounts Setsuko's earliest memories of her happy life in Hiroshima, followed by the devastating firsthand impact she witnesses after the dropping of the atomic bomb, and finally traces the steps she takes to rebuild a life in the aftermath of her experiences. With informational text scattered throughout the book to give historical context for the places and events, readers are given a full and profoundly affecting picture of what it was like after the bomb dropped, the struggle to return to normalcy, and the plea for activism to ban nuclear weapons.
 

Zendaya has been called a triple threat as a talented actor, dancer, and singer. This book looks at her early life, breakout television roles, rise to the silver screen, love of fashion, and charity work.

An empowering and practical guide to help teens and kids build a healthier relationships with their phones, Do Not Disturb is from psychologists Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock.



In Do Not Disturb, Brad Marshall and Lindsay Hassock share cutting-edge insights on how young people can unplug from their phones. Readers will discover the effects that their phone has on their brain and body.



They'll find out how to create a relationship with their phone on their terms. They'll even establish simple, healthy screen time habits that stick.



This is a must-have resource that includes:

• Ten practical steps to help teens and children unplug from their phones
• A toolkit at the end of each step, providing accessible, practical techniques
• Advice from trusted psychologists who have spent two decades working with young people
• Full-color illustrations by Lauriane Bohémier
• Additional resources at the back of the book

Practical, insightful, and never preachy, this book will help readers stop doomscrolling and start unplugging!

This 20th anniversary edition of transsexual trailblazer Kate Bornstein’s unconventional guide to staying alive for teens, freaks and gender outlaws features 20 NEW Alternatives, a new foreword by the author, and a new afterword by Paul Preciado.

"A don't-hurt guide for anyone who's been tempted to give in to despair."—Time Out New York

"You'll want to keep extra copies of this one on the shelf to give away to friends in need." —Bitch magazine

Now updated and with new material Hello, Cruel World features a catalog of 121 alternatives to suicide that range from the playful (moisturize!), to the irreverent (shatter some family values), to the controversial, fun, challenging and easy. Encouraging readers to unleash their hearts' harmless desires, the book has only one directive: "Don't be mean." It is this guiding principle that brings the reader on a self-validating journey and toward a resounding decision to embrace life.
Using graphics and checklists, and with great humor and gutsiness, Kate Bornstein dares readers to re-envision the gender system as we know it. She offers stories and insights that are tenderly intimate and unapologetically edgy. Hello, Cruel World also includes:

 

• an Introduction by Sara Quin of Tegan and Sara
• The Hello Cruel Scale of Feelings
• an Index of Alternatives with safety and effectiveness scales

Suicide rates among LGBTQ+ teens are much higher than for their cis peers; with love and humor and confession and insight, Bornstein hopes to keep every freak out there alive. She is a radical role model, an affectionate best friend, and a guiding mentor all in one. This one-of-a-kind guide to staying alive is a much-needed, sometimes unorthodox approach to life for those who want to stay on the edge, and alive.

Finalist, LGBT Nonfiction Lambda Literary Award, 2009 Honor Book, Stonewall Children’s and Young Adult Literature Award, 2009

A teen with bipolar disorder fights for survival in Ella Grace Foutz's memoir in verse.

Foutz weaves an intimate and gripping chronicle of her experience with mental illness. Amidst the turbulence of manic and depressive episodes, often accompanied by insomnia, Foutz relentlessly pursues stability and self-understanding. She examines the struggles that come with her illness, the ways it can be managed, and the ways in which it's inextricable from her deepest self—informing how she sees the world around her and within her.

Balancing poignancy with moments of levity, Foutz invites the reader along for her journey as she navigates the complex terrain of mental health to forge her path forward.

Did you know that Aretha Franklin was the first woman to be inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame? Or that the first accounts of a Black samurai in Japan date back almost 500 years ago? Written by historian and broadcaster David Olusoga and his siblings, professor Yinka Olusoga and artist Kemi Olusoga, Black History for Every Day of the Year is an illuminating overview of consequential people, places, and events in Black history. Accompanied by photos, quotes, and illustrations, these 366 entries will take you on a journey across global history, from the ancient Kingdom of Kush to the Black Lives Matter movement.

You'll learn about unsung heroes from history, as well as contemporary figures and events.

• Activists: Toussaint L'Ouverture, Harriet Tubman, Malcolm X
• Athletes: Jackie Robinson, Venus and Serena Williams, Simone Biles
• Authors and Poets: James Baldwin, Toni Morrison, Amanda Gorman
• Musicians: Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Beyoncé
• Public Figures: Kofi Annan, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Kamala Harris
• Scientists: Alice Ball, Katherine Johnson, Neil deGrasse Tyson
• Movies and Art: the Benin Bronzes, Hamilton, Black Panther
• Events: the Tulsa Race Massacre, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Selma to Montgomery Marches

With accounts of triumph and celebration, ingenuity and creativity, alongside tales of racism and oppression, hope and resistance, Black History for Every Day of the Year gives you something new to learn every day--a rich history that is relevant to us all.

As seen on CNN's Amanpour, CBS Mornings, and MSNBC's Morning Joe!

Bishop Mariann Edgar Budde is no stranger to bravery in the face of bullies. In this adaptation of her New York Times bestselling How We Learn to Be Brave: Decisive Moments in Life and Faith, Bishop Budde and acclaimed novelist Bryan Bliss share lessons in how to learn to be brave in life’s hardest moments.

The decisive moments in life—even in the life of a young person—are those pivot points when we’re called on to push past our fears and act courageously in the face of injustice and bullying. In How We Learn to Be Brave, Bishop Mariann Budde shows readers examples of how to respond even in the toughest times. Bravery is not a singular occurrence; it’s a journey that we can choose to undertake every day and it begins when we're young.

Budde explores the range of decisive moments people of all ages encounter, from the most visible and dramatic (the decision to go), to the internal and personal (the decision to stay), to brave choices made with an eye toward the future (the decision to start), those born of suffering (the decision to accept that which we did not choose), and those that come as surprises (the decision to step up to the plate). Drawing on examples relevant to young readers ranging from Harry Potter to Martin Luther King Jr., she weaves together personal experiences with stories from scripture, history, and pop culture of how adults and kids throughout history have faced these moments and heeded the call to be brave in challenging times.

“[A] superb guide.” --Booklist

“An excellent book that truly combines empathy and compassion as well as wisdom and practical advice in a way that feels helpful as well as empowering.” --School Library Journal

Today's generation of teenagers are living in a world no one could have imagined just a couple decades ago, a world of social media and an endless flow of information (and disinformation). They are also more likely to be lonely, depressed, stressed out, and diagnosed with mental health issues than any generation before them. But they can learn to take control of their own wellness-and Dr. Ran Anbar gives them the tools to do just that.

In The Life Guide for Teens, Dr. Anbar uses clear, empowering terms to take a deep dive into the most prevalent wellness concerns for teens. He guides readers through such topics as anxiety, relationships, sleep, making tough decisions, and communicating effectively with easy-to-implement tools and advice from experts and teens who've been there. Throughout, he offers encouragement, reassurance, and strength to teens who are struggling, showing them how they can develop a positive, healthy self-image and promote self-care.

Dr. Anbar has helped thousands of teens work through their personal challenges, not by solving their problems for them, but by helping them learn to tap into their inner wisdom, strength, and resilience. With 180 actionable tools teens can use on their personal journey to wellness, The Life Guide for Teens is an invaluable resource for anyone wanting to feel calm, capable, and confident.

Beyond They/Them is a captivating, gorgeously illustrated book celebrating 20 trailblazing nonbinary, genderqueer, and two-spirit individuals who have left an indelible mark on music, sports, film and television, politics, and more.

Explore 20 biographies of game-changing and noteworthy nonbinary people of diverse backgrounds and in a wide variety of industries. Beyond They/Them: 20 Influential Nonbinary People You Should Know is a fully illustrated guide to celebrities, activists, musicians, and other influential people of various identities across the nonbinary spectrum. Complete with beautiful illustrations by the talented artist Cameron Mukwa and written by Em Dickson, this book is a celebration of nonbinary joy and proves that there has been, and always will be, a place for people of all genders.

Featured individuals include:

• ND Stevenson
• JanelleMonáe
• Rebecca Sugar
• Maia Kobabe
• Sarah Gailey
• Joshua Whitehead
• Quinn
• Layshia Clarendon
• Jaiyah Saelua
• Vico Ortiz
• Sam Smith
• Demi Lovato
• Cris Derksen
• Amita Kuttner
• Uzomo Asagwara
• Maebe A. Girl
• Audrey Tang
• Dr. James Makokis
• Dr. Jonathan P. Higgins
• Judith Butler

Learn about the history and future of reproductive justice.

Reproductive rights guarantee individuals the freedom to make decisions about their bodies and reproductive health. These rights include access to safe and effective health care, the ability to choose whether or when to have children, the right to express their gender identity how they wish, and more.

People, particularly women, have faced extreme barriers to reproductive rights throughout history. The Fight over Choice explores some of these barriers and how people and organizations have fought to overcome them through reproductive justice. By highlighting these efforts, it underscores the significance of empowering individuals to secure their reproductive rights and make informed choices about their bodies and futures.

This powerful and unflinching examination of racism in America by award-winning historian Ann Bausum deconstructs the warped history of the Civil War, perfect for fans of STAMPED FROM THE BEGINNING and JUST MERCY.

Warning: This is not your average U.S. history book.

After the Civil War, the Confederates may have laid down their arms, but they were far from accepting defeat. By warping the narrative around what really happened during and after the Civil War, they created an alternate history now known as the Lost Cause. These lies still manifest today through criticism of Critical Race Theory, book banning, unequal funding for education, and more.

This book sets the record straight and explains the true history of the Civil War, and its complex and far-reaching aftermath. Written by historian and award-winning author Ann Bausum, WHITE LIES is an impeccably researched chronicle filled with photos, robust back matter, additional resources, and more that fans of Howard Zinn's A People's History of the United States will enjoy.

A collection of jaunty and mischievously unsettling poems for middle-grade readers from award-winning poet Shannon Bramer and artist Cindy Derby, who brought us Climbing Shadows (NCTE Notable Poetry Book and Verse Novel, shortlisted for the Rocky Mountain Book Award).

Shannon's twenty-eight poems in Nightmare Jones send delightful shivers down the spine. Written in a variety of styles and forms, they encompass magic realism and influences from fairy tales, folklore and ghost stories, alongside more contemporary explorations of unusual creatures, misunderstood monsters and commonplace human fears (both ridiculous and sublime!). Cindy Derby's evocative line and watercolor illustrations inhabit these weird and wonderful works with her characteristic flair for the strange and witchy wonders of the world.

In these poems what makes a person scared might also make them sad, or even make them laugh, as Bramer writes from a place of wonder, empathy, curiosity and reverence for the deep dark woods we all have inside us. If you've ever wanted to spend some time in a witch's garden or wondered what spiders do with our worries, this is the poetry book for you!

Key Text Features

dialogue

epigraph

illustrations

poems

recipes

table of contents

vignettes

Correlates to the Common Core State Standards in English Language Arts:

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.5.2

Determine a theme of a story, drama, or poem from details in the text, including how characters in a story or drama respond to challenges or how the speaker in a poem reflects upon a topic; summarize the text.

CCSS.ELA-LITERACY.RL.6.4

Determine the meaning of words and phrases as they are used in a text, including figurative and connotative meanings; analyze the impact of a specific word choice on meaning and tone

The twisty, turny but triumphant rise of women's soccer is one of the most fascinating stories in sports – and women's – history.

From the very birth of the sport in 19th century England, girls and women have always found a way to play – and keeping playing – the sport they love, in spite of the bans, challenges, rules, and backward-looking attitudes.

Fast forward to today and women's soccer is now officially a global powerhouse. It is the most popular women's sport in the world with an ever-growing number of players, supporters, and viewers. 

With stunningly adept storytelling and a wealth of historical and up-to-date imagery Girls with Goals tells this fascinating story from its origins in working class England to the worldwide phenomenon it is today. 

Whether you are just starting out in your football journey or you are an experienced player who already loves the sport, you'll come to understand women's football in a completely new way through intriguing tales and anecdotes, and meeting important characters in the sport from past and present – including from the perspective of marginalized sportspeople.

A love letter to women's soccer and the female athletes who inspired girls all over the world to pull on their cleats, Girls with Goals will honor the women who fought hard to play the sport they loved and paved the way for athletes playing all women's sports today. 

The full story of the history of the women's game has yet to be told for the YA market so Girls with Goals is a book that every young soccer lover needs on their shelf.

To be published on what will be the 80th anniversary of the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, survivor Setsuko Thurlow shares her memories of that horrific event and her resulting lifelong commitment to activism to ban nuclear arms.

When Setsuko Thurlow was thirteen, she witnessed one of history's most horrific events. She experienced--and survived--the atomic bombing of Hiroshima in 1945. Since then, she has worked tirelessly to educate people about the catastrophe and to ensure that it never happens again. As a leading member of the International Campaign to Abolish Nuclear Weapons (ICAN), she gave the acceptance speech when the organization won the 2017 Nobel Peace Prize.

Never Silent recounts Setsuko's earliest memories of her happy life in Hiroshima, followed by the devastating firsthand impact she witnesses after the dropping of the atomic bomb, and finally traces the steps she takes to rebuild a life in the aftermath of her experiences. With informational text scattered throughout the book to give historical context for the places and events, readers are given a full and profoundly affecting picture of what it was like after the bomb dropped, the struggle to return to normalcy, and the plea for activism to ban nuclear weapons.

The dramatic life story of Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun, one of the greatest portrait painters of all time.

Supremely talented and strategically charming, Élisabeth Vigée Le Brun (1755-1842) overcame tragedy and broke gender barriers to reach the height of success as a portrait painter, first in Paris, and then across Europe. After losing her father at age twelve and facing financial insecurity, she fought to gain access to artistic training and opportunity. She was coerced into marriage at age twenty, to an art dealer who both helped and harmed her career. Vigée Le Brun deployed her intelligence and beauty to attract powerful clients, who relied on her to style the personal identities they projected to the world.

Vigée Le Brun's salons were the talk of Paris, and she became court painter to Marie Antoinette. Then came the French Revolution, when marginalized groups demanded change to centuries-old systems of oppression. Vigée Le Brun was forced to reexamine her alliances and run for her life, taking her young daughter but leaving her husband behind. Making her way through the countrysides and capitals of Europe and Russia--including a stay at the imperial court of Catherine the Great--the artist conquered fear and adversity to refashion her life and her art.

This book explores the life of professional basketball player Caitlin Clark, from her early days playing sports with her brothers to becoming a college basketball phenomenon and a rising WNBA star. Clark's story is not only about her athletic achievements but also about her resilience, determination, and the impact she's had on inspiring a new generation of young athletes.