Tuesday, May 23, 2023

Great Reads for the Summer!


Are you looking for your next great read? Well look no further! Our Young Adult Librarian Ryan has many great book recommendations for you this summer. Here is a list of some of Ryan's favorites! These are all located in the YA Room in front of the YA desk.



They Both Die at the End follows the tale of two teens, Mateo Torrez (18) and Rufus Emeterio (17), who both receive phone calls from Death-Cast, a national service that notifies people who have only 24 hours left to live.



It follows Charlie during his freshman year of high school as he makes and loses friends, experiments with drugs and his sexuality, and comes to grips with his past. Charlie is the main character and first-person narrator of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, which is told through Charlie's letters.



Hey, Kiddo is a profoundly important memoir about growing up in a family grappling with addiction, and finding the art that helps you survive. In kindergarten, Jarrett Krosoczka's teacher asks him to draw his family, with a mommy and a daddy. But Jarrett's family is much more complicated than that.



Sixteen-year-old Starr Carter moves between two worlds: the poor neighborhood where she lives and the fancy suburban prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil at the hands of a police officer.



In Taisho-era Japan, kindhearted Tanjiro Kamado makes a living selling charcoal. But his peaceful life is shattered when a demon slaughters his entire family. His little sister Nezuko is the only survivor, but she has been transformed into a demon herself! Tanjiro sets out on a dangerous journey to find a way to return his sister to normal and destroy the demon who ruined his life.

Learning to destroy demons won't be easy, and Tanjiro barely knows where to start. The surprise appearance of another boy named Giyu, who seems to know what's going on, might provide some answers--but only if Tanjiro can stop Giyu from killing his sister first!



The book follows Avery Kylie Grambs, a high school girl who lost her mom and is now living with her step-sister Libby. Avery has just discovered that Tobias Hawthorne, a billionaire, has left her in his will. However, Avery will not simply inherit the fortune. She must play Tobias Hawthornes' inheritance game.



Naruto is a young shinobi with an incorrigible knack for mischief. He's got a wild sense of humor, but Naruto is completely serious about his mission to be the world's greatest ninja!

No one takes Naruto seriously at Ninja Academy. Especially not the other students, who all are competing to be the best ninja ever and someday lead Konoha, the Village Hidden in the Leaves. Naruto and his classmates are about to embark on an adventure that takes them far beyond Ninja Academy, beyond Konoha, beyond anything they ever imagined. What is Naruto's true destiny? The epic story that has sold millions worldwide begins now!



Three Dark Crowns is about triplet sisters, Katharine, Arsinoe, and Mirabella. Each of the girls has been born with a unique magical gift, and one of them is destined to become queen of the land of Fennbirn. The girls are part of a tradition that extends back to the founding of the realm.



Meliodas escapes the Goddess Amber, but he emerges from his prison strangely silent and with a new look. In the blink of an eye, he wrecks Guila and Jericho and begins delivering an epic beating to Sir Helbram, who somehow manages to stand up to the transformed Dragon Sin of Wrath. What is going on with this new Meliodas? And how is Helbram avoiding being stomped by the overwhelming power of the changed Meliodas?



Five years ago, a school girl named Andie Bell was murdered by her boyfriend Sal Singh. This ruthless murder that killed a young and innocent soul inflicted everyone with grief. Everyone in the small town knows it, including the Police, and believe it in their heart that Sal was the murderer.



A sweet and charming coming-of-age story that explores friendship, love, and coming out. Shy and softhearted Charlie Spring sits next to rugby player Nick Nelson in class one morning. A warm and intimate friendship follows, and that soon develops into something more for Charlie, who doesn't think he has a chance.



The Fault In Our Stars is a fabulous book about a young teenage girl who has been diagnosed with lung cancer and attends a cancer support group. Hazel is 16 and is reluctant to go to the support group, but she soon realizes that it was a good idea. Hazel meets a young boy named Augustus Waters.



I know I'm not gay. Gay boys like other boys. I hate boys. They're mean, and scary, and they're always destroying something or saying something dumb or both.

I hate that word. Gay. It makes me feel . . . unsafe.

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.



This book is a compilation of diary entries from 150 high school students in Long Beach, California, who call themselves the Freedom Writers. Their English teacher, Erin Gruwell, discovers that her at-risk students have never heard of the Holocaust.



Nicholas Cox is determined to prove himself in the world of competitive fencing, and earn his place alongside fencing legends like the dad he never knew, but things get more complicated when he's up against his golden-boy half-brother, as well as sullen fencing prodigy, Seiji Katayama.

Nicholas, the illegitimate son of a retired fencing champion, is a scrappy fencing wunderkind, and dreams of getting the chance and the training to actually compete. After getting accepted to the prodigious Kings Row private school, Nicholas is thrust into a cut-throat world, and finds himself facing not only his golden-boy half-brother, but the unbeatable, mysterious Seiji Katayama...

Through clashes, rivalries, and romance between teammates, Nicholas and the boys of Kings Row will discover there's much more to fencing than just foils and lunges. From acclaimed writer C.S. Pacat (The Captive Prince) and fan-favorite artist Johanna the Mad.



After the shocking murder of senior Emma Baines, three of her classmates are at the top of the suspect list: Claude, the notorious partier; Avery, the head cheerleader; and Gwen, the would-be valedictorian. But appearances are never what they seem.



Looking for Alaska tells the story of Miles “Pudge” Halter, a high school junior who divides his life into time before and time after a life-changing event that the reader will not discover until later in the novel. Miles plans to attend the Culver Creek boarding school for his junior year of high school.



Thursday, May 18, 2023

BHS Book Club May 2023

 

May 18, 2023



Set in 2002, A Very Large Expanse Of Sea takes readers on a whimsically clever and humorous love story between two Americans who come from different backgrounds. Shirin, a 16-year-old Muslim girl living in post 9/11 America, and Ocean James, her lab partner who takes a genuine interest in getting to know her.

Rating: 3.1

The group thought the book was okay. They were not fans of the ending. They enjoyed talking to the members that were there when 9/11 happened.

Monday, May 1, 2023

Celebrate Star Wars at BPL! 2023

 



Posing as a merchant on Tatooine, Sabé has fewer resources than she thought and fewer options than she needs. Together with Padmé's loyal handmaidens, Padmé and Sabé must navigate treacherous politics, adapt to constantly changing landscapes, and forge a new identity beyond the queen's shadow.



Padmé is adjusting to being a wartime senator during the Clone Wars. Her secret husband, Anakin Skwyalker, is off fighting the war, and excels at being a wartime Jedi. In contrast, when Padmé gets the opportunity to see the casualties on the war-torn front lines, she is horrified.



The book tells the tale of two childhood friends who became lovers before ending up on opposite sides of the galactic war. Ciena and Thane grew up on the same planet just after annexation by the Imperials, but one was born in the more rural valley while the other came from an affluent second-waver family.



Padawan by Kiersten White centers on an Obi-Wan Kenobi struggling to find his way as a Jedi Knight, leading to an impromptu and reckless solo mission to a unique planet with a problem that strikes at all the issues facing the young Kenobi.



Sixteen-year-old Princess Leia Organa faces the most challenging task of her life so far: proving herself in the areas of body, mind, and heart to be formally named heir to the throne of Alderaan.



It is the era of the High Republic and expansion across the stars is at its height. As trusted guardians of peace, the renowned Jedi protect the Republic and shine their light on those exploring the darkest reaches of the galaxy.



A new era of Star Wars storytelling begins! Journey back to the High Republic - the golden age of the Jedi! Centuries before the Empire and the Skywalker saga, the Jedi are at their height, protecting the galaxy as Republic pioneers push out into new territories. But as the frontier prepares for the dedication of the majestic Starlight Beacon, the Padawan named Keeve Trennis faces the ultimate choice- Will she complete her Jedi trials, or rescue the innocent from disaster? And can she trust her closest ally? Hutts, Rancors, Gamorreans and far less familiar faces await in a tale of belonging and betrayal set in a rich and vast world of new Jedi! Prepare to experience new worlds! New ships! And new evils to fight - including the terrifying Nihil and a creeping alien horror!



The original Dark Lord of the Sith stars in his first ongoing series! Ever since Darth Vader's first on-screen appearance, he has become one of pop-culture's most popular villains. Now, follow Vader straight from the ending of A NEW HOPE (and the pages of the new STAR WARS comic book) into his own solo adventures - showing the Empire's war with the Rebel Alliance from the other side! But when a Dark Lord needs help, who can he turn to? As Vader pursues a very personal vengeance against the Rebels and investigates the Emperor's secret machinations, he clashes with weapons scavenger Aphra and deadly Battle Droids, and returns to Geonosis to build an army. But some very powerful people don't want him to learn the truths he seeks! Guest-starring Jabba the Hutt, Boba Fett and more! 

New YA Books April 2023


Checkout all the new YA Books in our Young Adult (YA) Room! If you have any speial requests feel free to ask a librarian! 





Tamsin Lark is a Hollower - breaking into the ancient crypts of dark sorceresses in search of the treasures inside. Now, rumor's are swirling about a powerful ring from Arthurian legend, a ring that could free her brother, Cabell from a curse. But they aren't the only ones who covet it...



"Star light, star bright, first star I see tonight . . . " So begins the wish that changes everything--for Geppetto, for the Blue Fairy, and for a little puppet named Pinocchio. The Blue Fairy isn't supposed to grant wishes in the small village of Pariva, but something about this one awakens some long-buried flicker within. Perhaps it's the hope she senses beneath the old man's loneliness.

Or maybe it's the fact that long ago, before she was the Blue Fairy, she was a young woman named Chiara from this very village, one with a simple wish: to help others find happiness. Her sister, Ilaria, always teased her for this, for Ilaria had big dreams to leave their sleepy village and become a world-renowned opera singer. The two were close, despite their differences. While Ilaria would have given anything to have a fairy grant her wish, Chiara didn't believe in the lore for which their village was famous.

Forty years later, Chiara, now the Blue Fairy, defies the rules of magic to help an old friend. But she's discovered by the Scarlet Fairy, formerly Ilaria, who, amid a decades-long grudge, holds the transgression against her sister. They decide to settle things through a good old-fashioned bet, with Pinocchio and Geppetto's fate hanging in the balance.

Will the sisters find a way back to one another? Or is this, like many matters of the heart, a gamble that comes with strings?



Viva Lola Espinoza is a coming-of-age story about Lola, who was sent to Mexico to spend her summer with her grandmother for the summer by her father when they found out at the end of her junior year that she got a C in her Spanish class, and she can't come back home to California until she learns how to speak and read.


Ab(Solutely) Normal by Various Authors

About Ab(solutely) Normal: Short Stories That Smash Mental Health Stereotypes. Channeling their own experiences, sixteen exceptional authors subvert mental health stereotypes in a powerful and uplifting collection of fiction. A teen activist wrestles with protest-related anxiety and PTSD.



Someone Is Always Watching is a complex, psychological thriller that takes you into the life of a close-knit group of teens, all students at a private, prestigious STEM academy who, after one of their friends begins to exhibit unusual behaviors, becomes obsessed with the idea that the security cameras are always...



It is about a stubborn, irreverent, and resourceful young woman who remains true to herself and discovers that it is the bonds of family, faith, and friendship—even romance–that tie her to the wild and unpredictable land she loves so fiercely.



Blaine for the Win follows mural artist Blaine as he decides to run for senior student council president, after his boyfriend dumps him for being too 'unserious. ' However, what started out as a way to win back his ex turns into a real campaign, with the help of his friends Trish, Camila, and Danny.



IF YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND is a charming YA contemporary romance about Harry during the summer before his senior year. Harry dreams of leaving his Florida town behind and becoming a screenwriter. He is currently working on a screenplay for a gay superhero rom-com that he hopes to enter into a big contest.



From the author of The Sky Blues and Blaine for the Win comes a speculative young adult romance about a teen stuck in a time loop that's endlessly monotonous until he meets the boy of his dreams. For some reason, Clark has woken up and relived the same monotonous Monday 309 times.



Sixteen-year-old Korean American Samantha Kang must figure out how to return to her own time after a ride-share app inexplicably transports the Gen Z teen to 1995 in this reflective Back to the Future–flavored jaunt by Goo (Somewhere Only We Know).



When four best friends with a hunger for human flesh attend a music festival in the desert they discover a murderous plot to expose and vilify the girls and everyone like them. This summer is going to get gory. Two years ago, a small percentage of population underwent a transformation known as the Hollowing.



Caught in the crosshairs of gang violence, a teen girl and her mother set off on a perilous journey from Guatemala City to the US border in this heart-wrenching young adult novel from the author of Don't Ask Me Where I'm From.



Halloween is near, and Hughie Wolfe is volunteering at a new rural attraction: Harvest House. He's excited to take part in the fun, spooky show—until he learns that an actor playing the vengeful spirit of an “Indian maiden,” a ghost inspired by local legend, will headline.



In a dazzling new fantasy world full of whispered secrets and political intrigue, the magic of women is outlawed but four girls with unusual powers have the chance to change it all. The Nightbirds are Simta's best-kept secret: Girls with a unique and powerful magic they can gift with just a kiss.



One of Us Is Lying meets A Deadly Education in this fantasy thriller that follows six teenage wizards as they fight to make it home alive after a malfunctioning spell leaves them stranded in the wilderness. Ren Monroe has spent four years proving she's one of the best wizards in her generation.





In The Rebellious Life of Mrs. Rosa Parks, Theoharis masterfully details the political depth of a national heroine who dedicated her life to fighting American inequality and, in the process, resurrects an inspiring civil rights movement radical who has been hidden in plain sight far too long.



Dramatically narrated case histories from Justice Ginsburg's stellar career are interwoven with an account of RBG's life—childhood, family, beliefs, education, marriage, legal and judicial career, children, and achievements—and her many-faceted personality is captured.



Born without legs due to a rare condition called caudal regression syndrome, Zion was abandoned and shunted to a foster-care system ill-equipped to care for him. In this stirring memoir, readers will follow as he is bounced from home to home, subjected to abuse, neglect, and inconceivable hardship.



The true story of racial inequality--and resistance to it--is the prologue to our present. You can see it in where we live, where we go to school, where we work, in our laws, and in our leadership. Unequal  presents a gripping account of the struggles that shaped America and the insidiousness of racism, and demonstrates how inequality persists. As readers meet some of the many African American people who dared to fight for a more equal future, they will also discover a framework for addressing racial injustice in their own lives



In his most recent memoir (publication date: September 6, 2022) Abuela, Don't Forget Me, Ogle, as an adult, grieves over his grandmother's memory loss and recounts how much his grandmother kept him going when his mother was unable to. This is a love letter about her impact on his life and it will move you to tears.



Dreams from My Father: A Story of Race and Inheritance (1995) is a memoir by Barack Obama that explores the events of his early years in Honolulu and Chicago until his entry into Harvard Law School in 1988.



Working on your own skills is an important part of being a team player, and Soccer Smarts for Teens is here to help you. With this inspirational choice in soccer books for teens, you'll work your way through 50 different techniques and strategies you can implement right away--on your own or with your team--to help you take your game to the next level.



With exclusive access to previously hidden diaries, family and camp survivor accounts, and recently declassified files, critically acclaimed and award-winning journalist Jack Fairweather brilliantly portrays the remarkable man who volunteered to face the unknown in the name of truth and country. This extraordinary and eye-opening account of the Holocaust invites us all to bear witness.


365. by Atlas McManis

  • A unique verse narrative, 365. is a collection of 365 different poems depicting the adversities and victories of a teenager struggling with ideas such as heartbreak, self-discovery, and mental and chronic illness. These poems are offered to the reader in two formats--verse and narrative. Each chapter begins with the "story", allowing the reader to contextualize the poems in a new, more wholistic direction. Immediately following this are the individual poems, allowing the reader to see the poems as they had been written in real time, largely unedited. 365. is a raw and honest depiction of all of the things we never say out loud.


From robotics engineering and computer games development to environmental law and eco-friendly construction, this job guide features hundreds of careers, including trending opportunities.

Do you have a passion but can't work out how to make a career out of it? Do you want to change your career but don't know where to start? Are you worried about career development? Or are you overwhelmed by so much advice you are lost in a sea of information? You're not the only one - and Careers is here to steer you in the right direction.
 
This indispensable guide is ideal for teenagers and newly qualified graduates. Career counsellors will also find this a trustworthy companion for helping students with their future career planning. So, whether you want to become a nurse or home decorator, a chef or cyber-security analyst (or you simply have no idea!), this book is your ultimate source. 
 
Concise and combining a user-friendly approach with a bold, graphic design, Careers is like having your very own career coach



The New York Times bestseller How to be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi is shaping the way a generation thinks about race and racism. How to be a (Young) Antiracist is a dynamic reframing of the concepts shared in the adult book, with young adulthood front and center. Aimed at readers 12 and up, and co-authored by award-winning children's book author Nic Stone, How to be a (Young) Antiracist empowers teen readers to help create a more just society. Antiracism is a journey--and now young adults will have a map to carve their own path. Kendi and Stone have revised this work to provide anecdotes and data that speaks directly to the experiences and concerns of younger readers, encouraging them to think critically and build a more equitable world in doing so.



The terrifying effects of a warming planet are impossible to ignore, but sometimes it's hard to pick through the facts and to understand exactly what's happening and how. This book of bright, bold infographics illuminates the realities of climate change in hard numbers, digestible data and vivid visualizations.

How will rising sea levels affect us?
What is the impact of meat on the planet?
What industries create the most emissions?
How do renewable energies compare to one another? What are the most effective things we as individuals can do to help the planet?

Without sugar-coating or fear-mongering, this is a book that conveniently unpacks inconvenient truths in a way that is accessible to readers young and old.





Who can save the red planet? The mutants of Arakko spent millennia scarred by war - but on the world once called Mars, they're learning to live in peace. Storm knows something greater than a queen is needed to keep this fragile new world together - but while she has a broken Magneto in her corner, Roberto Da Costa is making his own moves. Abigail Brand of S.W.O.R.D. has other plans to influence Arakko, with an unstable Vulcan on her side and Cable keeping his own secrets! And what of the ruthless Tarn the Uncaring, who now sits on the planet's ruling council? As machinations and revelations rock the red planet, the clock ticks down to interstellar war - and judgment day is coming. It's a new world full of intrigue, and someone has to fight for it! Collecting X-MEN RED (2022) #1-5.



In Asgard, Midgard and all of the Marvel-Verse, no hero is mightier than Thor, God of Thunder - and these are the tales that prove him worthy! Banished to Earth by his father Odin, Thor starts a new life, meeting fascinating people like Jane Foster - and battling fearsome foes like Mr. Hyde! Then, as his friendship with Sif and the Warriors Three hangs in the balance of a mystical force, Thor must resist temptation to save his fellow Asgardians! After tragedy strikes, the Thunder God flies into combat against Frost Giants and the gargantuan Ymir! And what will happen when Odin puts feuding brothers Thor and Loki to the test? 



Collecting tales from all over Gotham...Huntress, the Gardener, Peacekeeper...even the history of Miracle Molly! It's all here!

Discover a story so secret even Miracle Molly doesn't remember it! Discover what led a regular Gothamite to reject their past, name, and humanity to embrace the promise of a blank slate-the promise of the Unsanity Collective!

Then turn your head over to Gotham's Violet Vengeance. After having her brain invaded by a violent parasite bent on sending her on a deadly slugfest bender. Not fun, amiright? Well, Helena Bertinelli is no one to mess with-and when the villainous Vile's parasite gives her the ability to see through the eyes of his victims? You best believe she's gonna track him down and pop an arrow in that slimeball. Look out, Batman, Huntress is on the prowl...

And that's just where we begin. Find your favorite secret tales collected!



Knull’s invasion tests Earth’s Mightiest Heroes to their limits! T’Challa’s most treasured allies have been lost — and once again, the Black Panther must choose between his role as a king and the yearnings of his heart! Captain America, aided by the Falcon and the Winter Soldier, faces a brutal battle against
darkness! Knull raises fresh hell for Ghost Rider! Joe Fixit is out to make sure this is the best holiday the Hulk’s ever had — he just has to fight his way
through a planet of symbiotes first! Iron Man and Doctor Doom are forced together to battle an all-too-familiar specter of the festive season! And on vacation in the Shi’ar galaxy, newlyweds Wiccan and Hulkling face a honeymoon to die for!



The Clown Princess of Crime is ready for a change. After the death of a superhero she actually liked, Harley Quinn is struggling to find joy wreaking havoc in an already supremely messed-up world. She's even debating becoming a real, true hero and leaving her chaotic life of crime behind. But her partner in crime, Poison Ivy, is not sold. And when the Floronic Man shows up hell-bent on harming Ivy, the duo has to hit the streets to avoid him. Can Harley and Ivy survive this wild road trip?



The Star Wars comic event you've been waiting for! The notorious bounty hunter Boba Fett has finally landed his greatest prize - Han Solo, frozen in carbonite for easy transport. Fett will bring the smuggler to Tatooine to collect the massive bounty placed on Solo's head by the fearsome crime lord Jabba the Hutt. There's just one problem standing between Fett and the payday...and it's a big one. But Fett will stop at nothing to get the job done! Prepare for a mind-blowing, space-shattering epic event like no other! Featuring the return of the criminal Crimson Dawn, plus Darth Vader, Luke Skywalker, Leia Organa, Valance, Doctor Aphra and the Hutts, all vying for the ultimate prize - with Boba Fett stuck in the middle!



A new era of Star Wars storytelling begins! Journey back to the High Republic - the golden age of the Jedi! Centuries before the Empire and the Skywalker saga, the Jedi are at their height, protecting the galaxy as Republic pioneers push out into new territories. But as the frontier prepares for the dedication of the majestic Starlight Beacon, the Padawan named Keeve Trennis faces the ultimate choice- Will she complete her Jedi trials, or rescue the innocent from disaster? And can she trust her closest ally? Hutts, Rancors, Gamorreans and far less familiar faces await in a tale of belonging and betrayal set in a rich and vast world of new Jedi! Prepare to experience new worlds! New ships! And new evils to fight - including the terrifying Nihil and a creeping alien horror!



Picking up where New Batman Adventures left off, Batman comes face to face with a whole host of new adversaries and allies. Someone is stalking the Dark Knight and his comrades from the shadows of Gotham with the sole intent of taking out the Batman! Can Batman figure out why Lex Luthor has come to Gotham City? Who is Deathstroke and what are his plans for Batgirl and Robin? Through all these adventures, a long-buried secret from Batman's past comes to light, and it might just tear apart the Bat-Family once and for all!

Reunited visionary producers of Batman- The Animated Series Alan Burnett and Paul Dini show tha Batman's adventures in Gotham always continue! Teaming up with beloved artists Ty Templeton and Monica Kubina, they bring the treasured animated world back to life for the modern age. Collecting Batman- The Adventures Continue #1-8, this collection features all the original title cards from the digital chapters and character sketches.



Batgirls Cassandra Cain and Stephanie Brown are only able to navigate the dark, gritty, and oftentimes scary city of Gotham by leaning on the bright light that is their best-friendship.

Mentored by Oracle, the Batgirls move to the other side of town where Barbara Gordon can keep a better eye on them while the hacker Seer is still invading their lives. Steph may be too rash sometimes, and Cass doesn't speak much-but what they lack in similarities, they make up for with their mutual respect and love for each other...and what makes them stronger together as Batgirls! And they may be good at kicking ass, but they are just trying their best to be normal teenagers-who'll borrow the keys to a muscle car that belonged to a bad guy and perhaps give it a joyride around town without a driver's license, then race to get back home to Oracle by curfew!




New York Times Bestseller! Who is the Last Ronin? In a future, battle-ravaged New York City, a lone surviving Turtle embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission seeking justice for the family he lost. From legendary TMNT co-creators Kevin Eastman and Peter Laird, get ready for the final story of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles three decades in the making!

What terrible events destroyed his family and left New York a crumbling, post-apocalyptic nightmare? All will be revealed in this climactic Turtle tale that sees longtime friends becoming enemies and new allies emerging in the most unexpected places. Can the surviving Turtle triumph?





In this autobiographical collection of thoughtful and poignant comic vignettes, Chisholm explores her experiences with depression, anxiety, and love.



Twenty-Fifth Bam must journey skyward in a mysterious tower if he has any chance of reuniting with his best friend Rachel, even if that means facing his own death.

Before mysteriously disappearing into the tower gates before his very eyes, Rachel cautions Bam to forget all about her. Unwilling to lose her, Bam enters the Tower completely surrounded by Shinsu -- a divine and magical water, at his own peril.

The Tower itself contains multitudes of floors as vast as continents, each one with its unique geography, language and culture. Confronted by skillful tests each step of the way, Bam meets powerful guardians and otherworldly environments, making his quest to the top no easy feat.

Beginning his journey, Bam is met by Headon, the first floor guardian and caretaker of the Tower who explains the rules of the Tower. At each level Bam is constantly tested for his strength, dexterity and wit. With help from fellow travelers and unlikely villains, Bam makes both allies and enemies in order to find Rachel; however her intentions of reconnecting with him become unclear as misinformation about her whereabouts do not add up. Behind each ascension is a revelation about their friendship, revealing a much deeper, darker secret.



On October 16, 1968, during the medal ceremony at the Mexico City Olympics, Tommie Smith, the gold medal winner in the 200-meter sprint, and John Carlos, the bronze medal winner, stood on the podium in black socks and raised their black-gloved fists to protest racial injustice inflicted upon African Americans. Both men were forced to leave the Olympics, received death threats, and faced ostracism and continuing economic hardships.

In his first-ever memoir for young readers, Tommie Smith looks back on his childhood growing up in rural Texas through to his stellar athletic career, culminating in his historic victory and Olympic podium protest. Cowritten with Newbery Honor and Coretta Scott King Author Honor recipient Derrick Barnes and illustrated with bold and muscular artwork from Emmy Award-winning illustrator Dawud Anyabwile, Victory. Stand! paints a stirring portrait of an iconic moment in Olympic history that still resonates today.



Do you hate social gatherings? Dodge cameras? Enjoy staying up just a little too late at night? You might have more in common with your local cryptid than you think! Enter the world of Cryptid Club, a look inside the adventures of elusive creatures ranging from Mothman to the Loch Ness Monster. This humorous new series celebrates the unique qualities that make cryptids so desperately sought after by mankind (to no avail). After all, it's what makes us different that also makes us beautiful.



Blue Lock v1-3 by Moneyuki Kaneshiro

A mad young coach gathers soccer players from across the country to compete in a series of bizarre challenges in a high-tech colosseum he calls Blue Lock. It's a no-balls-barred battle to become Japan's next top striker, in this Squid Game-meets-World Cup manga, now available in print! 

 JuJutsu Kaisen v4-6 by GeGe Akutami

To gain the power he needs to save his friend from a cursed spirit, Yuji Itadori swallows a piece of a demon, only to find himself caught in the midst of a horrific war of the supernatural!

 One Piece v24-26 by Eiichiro Oda

As a child, Monkey D. Luffy dreamed of becoming King of the Pirates. But his life changed when he accidentally gained the power to stretch like rubber...at the cost of never being able to swim again! Years, later, Luffy sets off in search of the "One Piece," said to be the greatest treasure in the world...

If Luffy wants to get out of a year's worth of chore-boy duty on the oceangoing restaurant Baratie, he's got to rid the seas of the evil Don Krieg. Unfortunately, Krieg's armed to the teeth and aided by his "Demon Man," Commander Gin. The battle takes a surprising turn as Krieg reveals his increasingly deadly military might! Meanwhile, Nami has sailed off on the Merry Go with treasure in tow, and she's headed to Arlong Park, home of creepy Captain Arlong and his Fish-Man Pirates. What business does Nami have at Arlong Park, anyway? Something fishy is going on and Luffy's crew just may be in over their heads!



Elf mage Frieren and her courageous fellow adventurers have defeated the Demon King and brought peace to the land. But Frieren will long outlive the rest of her former party. How will she come to understand what life means to the people around her?

Decades after their victory, the funeral of one her friends confronts Frieren with her own near immortality. Frieren sets out to fulfill the last wishes of her comrades and finds herself beginning a new adventure...


In the 14th year of the Tianbao Era (CE 755) An Lushan, a military governor with ties to the Knights Templar, leads his elite corps to rebel against the Tang Dynasty, and the ill-prepared Tang empire falters under the threat. The two capitals Luoyang and Chang'an fall and China falls under the oppression of the cruel An Lushan.



With supernatural horrors haunting the streets and preying upon humanity, the shadowy Hellsing Organization fights back against hell's minions. And Hellsing has a secret weapon in their arsenal- the vampire lord Alucard, whose terrifying powers are needed more than ever as an army of the undead marches on London beneath the banner of the swastika!