Children’s books

“H is For Harlem,”

by Dinah Johnson, illustrated by April Harrison

This beautifully authentic nonfiction title pays homage to the vibrant New York City neighborhood and honors Harlem’s historic and present-day significance to African Americans. Through gorgeous full-page illustrations and comprehensive detailed paragraphs, this alphabet-inspired book immerses the reader in the art, beauty and culture of Harlem through facts about influential locations and individuals, past and current. From places like The Apollo Theatre and The Harlem Children’s Zone, or people like The Harlem Globetrotters and Madame C. Walker, prepare to go on an A-Z stroll through one of Manhattan’s most iconic neighborhoods.

“Poopsie Gets Lost,”

by Hannah E. Harrison

Loveable and incredibly spoiled Poopsie has everything she needs inside her luxurious home. She is fed, sleeps in a plush cat bed and has endless amounts of leisure time to lick her paws. Everything is going great until a nosy and rather pushy narrator shows up and pressures poor Poopsie to find adventure in the great outdoors. But when Poopsie finds herself in the depths of nature, she doesn’t find anything great about this new adventure. In fact, sweet Poopsie has to learn how to survive in the wild and ignore pesky narrators who don’t seem to have her best interest at heart if she is ever to return to the comfort of her home. Readers will cheer for Poopsie in this delightfully hilarious picture book about a pampered kitty vs. Mother Nature.

Teen books

“Burn Down, Rise Up,” by Vincent TiradoSixteen-year-old Raquel is still trying to figure out the complexities of her life and relationships when her mother becomes very sick with an unknown and unexplained illness. Simultaneously, Raquel’s classmate Charlize, for whom she’s had conflicted feelings spanning years, has a cousin go missing in a very strange and indescribable way. It’s not long before it’s discovered these two incidents are linked, and that a sinister game lies at the heart of these bizarre occurrences.

According to urban legend, Raquel must play the game and hope to survive if there is any chance of saving her city and the people she loves.

“The Summer of Bitter and Sweet,” by Jen FergusonIt was already starting out to be a summer of transition for Lou, a Métis girl who recently graduated from high school and was trying to figure out her next steps. But to make matters worse, Lou’s recent ex is working with her at her family’s ice cream shack, and King, a former close friend of Lou’s, suddenly shows back up in the picture. As if navigating her conflicting feelings about these boys, her sexuality, college, the failing shop and the friendships in her life weren’t enough, Lou suddenly gets a letter from her biological father who has recently been released from prison.

Before long Lou, who has a history of avoiding difficult situations, discovers that there are some things that you just can’t hide from.

Adult books

“True Biz,”

by Sara Nović

The kids aren’t all right at the River Valley School for the Deaf. Charlie is attending for the first time after a malfunctioning cochlear implant dashed her mother’s attempts to keep her at public school as a “normal” kid. Austin is the son of the deaf community’s royal family but is conflicted by the hearing ability of his newborn sister. And headmistress February Waters is struggling with the news that the school district is shutting River Valley down at the end of the year. Scandal, intrigue and hijinks abound in this honest, smart and very entertaining novel about community, resilience and defiance.

“Counterfeit,”

by Kirstin Chen

Straightlaced Ava Wong has built the seemingly perfect life, but now she’s in trouble: She’s been caught passing off designer bags worth thousands of dollars, which turn out to be fakes. In a moment of crisis, she made the decision to help her enigmatic former college roommate Winnie Fang with the scheme. Relating her story to a detective, she needs to talk her way out of this mess, but is she really as innocent as she sounds? This fun, fast book is perfect for the beach, while also raising deeper issues about motherhood, culture and class.