Guillermo Del Toro and Cornelia Funke
[isbn]
Reimagined and brought to life in book form is the darkly atmospheric tale of Ofelia, daughter of the king of the Underworld, a girl who must navigate the will of fairies and faun and creatures of all manner who wish to reclaim her into their realm, below ground. Whether you’ve seen the film (by the same name) or not, this beautifully rendered version stands equally in its own right.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Walt Odets
[isbn]
Out of the Shadows is part memoir, part casebook, and part self-help guide. In it, Walt Odets uses his more than 30 years of experience as a psychologist to help guide gay men on a path to overcome shame and stigmatization, and develop healthy relationships, paying particular attention to addressing the generational trauma of the continuing AIDS epidemic. People of all genders and sexual orientations will learn much from this moving... (read more)
Recommended by Adam P.
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Garth Stein
[isbn]
Denny has dreams of becoming the world's best race car driver, but life seems to get in the way. When Denny's life careens out of control, his adorable mutt Enzo tries to be supportive. Enzo is quite ready to be human, so he deeply feels, and is frustrated by, his absence of thumbs and speech. This is a sweet, poignant, and unique book.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Ruth Ware
[isbn]
Ruth Ware writes another twisty tale for us to devour. This time around there's a surprise letter from an attorney, a will to be read, new family members, and too many secrets to keep quiet. Ware does her typical terrific job of sussing out the motivations and fears of her characters, and her story is flooded with tension. She delivers the goods: a creepy psychological portrait of a family rife with lies and desperation. Delicious!
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Jonathan Evison
[isbn]
Jonathan Evison gives us the feel-good book of the year with Lawn Boy. Twenty-two-year-old Mike's world is falling apart: his job is toast, he has no money, he can't get a girlfriend, he worries constantly about his overworked mother and his special needs brother. All he wants to do is sculpt his topiaries, read great novels, figure out how to survive, and maybe find some companionship. Falling into one strange job after another, Mike is... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Kelsey Miller
[isbn]
An impeccably researched and nuanced collection of essays that beautifully examines the mass appeal of the hit show Friends. Perfect for long-time fans and Netflix newbies alike!
Recommended by Haley B.
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Natasha Trethewey
[isbn]
Weaving together personal narrative and historical accounts, Natasha Trethewey exposes the trials of the South both in the past and near-present in her collection of poems titled Native Guard. Her concise style will astound and inspire readers, while her voice feels increasingly important in today's fractured world.
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Eric Puchner
[isbn]
While Warren Ziller is watching his family's financial security bleed out, his wife, Camille, is making really bad public service movies, and their children are struggling to make a meaningful life of their own, something far, far worse is coming their way. A study in modernity, Model Home provides a template for a life gone impossibly wrong. As distressing as the subject matter is, Puchner's three-dimensional characters make this a... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Ursula K Le Guin
[isbn]
Tombs of Atuan takes you on a different journey than you expect to go on, or rather, someone else's journey. You follow Tenar as she gives away her name to the darkness and later discovers her true self and her true name along with the secrets of the tombs and her home. She eventually crosses paths with our favorite wizard, and the story continues. I highly recommend this continuation of the Earthsea series. The lore only gets richer and... (read more)
Recommended by Rin S.
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Abi Andrews
[isbn]
Erin, a young British woman, is inspired by Into The Wild to make her own journey to the Alaskan wilderness while filming a feminist documentary. This isn't your usual travelogue or wilderness survival story. It's fresh and funny, yet deeply philosophical, while drawing inspiration from Ted Kaczynski, Rachel Carson, and the history of the space race. I was personally inspired by the story to be more adventurous.
Recommended by Amy W.
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Emily Wibberley, Austin Siegemund Broka
[isbn]
In If I'm Being Honest, mean girl Cameron Bright goes on a (somewhat misguided) quest for self-improvement inspired by Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew. But when her venture leads to an unexpected group of new friends and an even more unexpected romance, Cameron starts to wonder if she can't — or shouldn't — be tamed.
Recommended by Joanna S.
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Elana K Arnold
[isbn]
Damsel uses the prince-rescues-damsel trope as an allegory for the perpetuation of violence against women through the ages. Elana K. Arnold's lyrical prose itself makes me want to weep. If you, too, want to be filled with the righteous fury of a dragon, read this book.
Recommended by Joanna S.
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Ben Lerner
[isbn]
Ben Lerner’s novel is both a contained story of family life and a far-reaching exploration of this exact moment in America. The focus doesn’t stray from Adam, a skilled high school debater, and his parents, both psychologists at a Topeka foundation, but the themes addressed are so numerous that they resemble the “spread” — when debaters inundate their opponents with every argument they can muster. Yet The Topeka School never buckles... (read more)
Recommended by Keith M.
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Anna Deavere Smith
[isbn]
There’s no substitute for watching Anna Deavere Smith embody her subjects on stage, but this book — companion to the HBO film — is a worthwhile volume that demonstrates Smith’s skill as an interviewer and curator.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Euripides
[isbn]
As someone who cannot get my hands on enough Greek and Roman mythology, I was so excited to see Anne Carson had a translation of the little-known poem written by Euripides. Differing from the traditional story where Iphigenia's sacrifice results in death, Euripides presents an alternative — Iphigenia saved by Artemis and transported to the barbaric Taurian land. Anne Carson's translation humanizes Iphigenia, and in this emotional tale we come to... (read more)
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Jacob Tobia
[isbn]
Jacob Tobia's debut memoir is a wonderful and timely piece of writing. Those who find themselves outside the gender binary have so often been either robbed of their voices or consigned to limiting narratives that don't reveal the full complexity of their experiences. As society begins to grapple with nonbinary people's issues, Tobia blasts open a path in which other nonbinary writers are sure to follow. In Sissy, Tobia writes about how... (read more)
Recommended by Dion M.
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James Ellroy
[isbn]
This is grit lit crime fiction that will suck you in and spit you out feeling like you've just spent an hour in an interrogation room with Vogel and Koenig. The splendid and grotesque Black Dahlia, the first in Ellroy's L.A. Quartet series, it a terrific place to begin.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Erika Meitner
[isbn]
These poems paint a grappling portrait of life in Southern Appalachia. Meitner tackles religion, violence, racial tensions, and motherhood, all with ever-present empathy and nuance. This collection is a timely and necessary addition to any poetry lover's library.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Colson Whitehead
[isbn]
Colson Whitehead continues to be unafraid to expose the horror of the black experience in America, and to that I say, Amen, Mr. Whitehead. This is the story of a boys' reform school in the South, and the history of torture the boys endured there. Although this is fiction, the school this book is based on did indeed exist and operated as the novel depicts. The story of Elwood Curtis is a study in race relations and utter cruelty, and the... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Nick Pyenson
[isbn]
In Spying on Whales, whale paleontologist Nick Pyenson takes us on a scientific adventure around the globe to investigate the past, present, and future of whales. His enthusiasm is catching, and this marvelous scientific exploration is accessible, fascinating, and inspiring.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Nico Walker
[isbn]
A lightly fictionalized autobiography, Cherry documents an Iraq War vet's cycle of crime and addiction. This book doesn't shy away from the ugly fallout of that conflict, making it not only a difficult read but an important one: this is Walker's story, but it's not just Walker's story.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Randy Ribay
[isbn]
A young Filipino American visits the Philippines to determine what really happened to his murdered cousin in this fantastic, moving novel about immigration, survival, family secrets, and President Duterte’s ongoing war on drugs. Once again, acclaimed author Randy Ribay gives voice to a marginalized community to riveting effect.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Jo Nesbo
[isbn]
With Knife, Jo Nesbø, one of my favorite authors, delivers another explosive crime novel! Harry Hole, the tough, beat-up alley cat-type somehow attracts women like a magnet. And Nesbø is the best at creating human monsters! Will someone please tell Jo Nesbø and Walter Mosley to collaborate on a Harry Hole-Easy Rawlins international thriller?
Recommended by Adrienne C.
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Rosenthal, Amy Krouse
[isbn]
From the author of Little Pea, Spoon, and Duck! Rabbit! comes a uniquely magical tale of Uni the Unicorn. Uni is the only unicorn who believes little girls are real! Lovely illustrations by Brigette Barrager make this a wonderful and memorable read.
Recommended by Kim T.
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Amy Krouse Rosenthal and Brigette Barrager
[isbn]
After endless rain leaves the land of unicorns in danger, only sparkles and friendship can save the day! Uni and her adventurous friend are sweet and enchanting in this very fun sequel, as they remind Pacific Northwesterners that the rain will stop if you just believe.
Recommended by McKenzie W.
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Matthew Gray Gubler
[isbn]
I'm totally obsessed with Rumple Buttercup and his underground trash lair and his banana-peel disguise and his BFF made of garbage. This is a story about being a weirdo, and it's also a story about how you might not be as big a weirdo as you think you are.
Recommended by Emily F.
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Nancy Isenberg, Andrew Burstein
[isbn]
This dual biography engagingly follows the two Presidents Adams, with a focus on their impressive mutual ability to resist the increasing influence of political parties over American governance.
Recommended by Keith M.
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David Szalay
[isbn]
David Szalay has written a La Ronde for the jet age: an elegant tour that demonstrates that hopping continents may be easy, but everything else remains complicated.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Emma Donoghue
[isbn]
Emma Donoghue's family story follows 79-year-old Dr. Noah Selvaggio as he plans a return trip to the city of his childhood: Nice, France. With no children, Noah is alone now, after the deaths of his wife, mother, and sister, so it's quite a shock to receive a call — two days before he boards his plane — to care for his great-nephew, a nephew who is totally unknown to Noah. As Noah seeks answers to his mother's secretive life in Nice during the... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Kim Barnouin
[isbn]
I only read this book for work: all those customers asking me over and over what the book was about. I thought, It's short, just read it... so I did. But the "bitches" straight talk about veganism struck home with me, and I became a vegan (several years ago now), even though I was always one of those people who said they could never give up cheese. For someone who hates change and greets it kicking and screaming, Barnouin and Freedman... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Jacob Shell
[isbn]
In his fascinating book, Shell illuminates the surprising working relationship between humans and elephants that has existed for millennia in Southeast Asia. Prized for their strength and ingenuity, elephants are paired with riders during the day and roam free at night. Giants offers a new perspective on a beguiling creature.
Recommended by Matt K.
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Ann Patchett
[isbn]
After the death of her husband, a magician named Parsifal, Sabine discovers that he was hiding much more than she thought. She alone knows that Parsifal was gay, but now she finds he had a "long lost" family. The idea of finding a connection to her husband is so tantalizing, Sabine can't resist meeting them. Love, loss, and new beginnings are explored.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Antoine Laurain, Gallic Books
[isbn]
Antoine Laurain writes another incredibly charming tale, with themes on friendship, miracles, love, and dogs. The four main characters drink a bottle of wine one evening, and then find themselves transported back in time to the year the wine was made, 1954. But, once they've been transported, how on earth will they get back to their own time? Laurain has a writing style that makes you want to cuddle up with his books — they are so sweet. Dive in... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Christine Lynn Herman
[isbn]
This is an atmospheric YA fantasy novel full of monsters, magic, love triangles, and lovable characters. It's dark and a bit creepy, and will appeal to fans of Stranger Things and The Raven Cycle.
Recommended by Ariel K.
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John Green
[isbn]
All the feels. Yes, this was hard to read, and will be a hard read for anyone who has experienced even the smallest bit of anxiety or OCD. However, it’s also a healing and reflective book. The story is all life, all truth, and all yearning to find meaning. John Green, thank you for sharing this part of yourself. You’ve done it again.
Recommended by Andy A.
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Leslie Jamison
[isbn]
In her best book yet, Leslie Jamison pokes into the unexplored corners of the world and tells stories on behalf of the collective and the individual. She begins with a singular premise and then widens her scope to encompass universal experiences. So when she writes about 52 Blue or Second Life or children with memories of past lives, she’s also writing about loneliness, alienation, and a deep longing for a connection strong enough to... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Kevin Panetta, Savanna Ganucheau
[isbn]
All Ari wants to do is escape the family bakery and move to the city, where he can finally focus on his music — but will a cute new baker with a new perspective change his mind? This book has some of my favorite things: queerness, blushing, and bread. An absolute ray of sunshine.
Recommended by Caroline M.
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R F Kuang
[isbn]
The first part of this book might remind you of J. K. Rowling or Nnedi Okorafor. The second part just goes dark, and if you want to see your protagonist make the biggest wrong choices, and if you want your hero to break bad, this is the joint for you. I loved it!
Recommended by Doug C.
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Tatsuki Fujimoto
[isbn]
This tale of a burning immortal out for revenge in a frozen wasteland is both witty and infinitely horrifying, always reaching to some new level of terror as it surprises with new subversions and twists. True trope-busting depravity.
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Olivia Gatwood
[isbn]
To the girls who walk the dark with their keys Wolverined between their fingers, who hover uneasily between fear and anger and desire, who crave the panopticon of the male gaze as strongly as they resent it: Life of the Party is the book for you. Describing the collection as true crime poetry, Olivia Gatwood uses the form to deconstruct female experience through acts of violence, both external and internal. Most interestingly, she... (read more)
Recommended by Lauren P.
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Jonathan Kauffman
[isbn]
An interesting look at the politics and culture of common foods — granola, tofu, whole grains — that were once relatively unknown in postwar America. Kauffman trots out a cast of memorable characters, some altruistic and some self-serving, to chart the rise of brands, concepts, and foods that we know and love today.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Messie Condo
[isbn]
If you're the type who likes to follow rules to a T and are eager to polish your home into Instagram-ready perfection, there are plenty of how-to books for you. Tidy the F*ck Up is the book for the rest of us. With a refreshingly blunt style, the author offers a loose guide for getting organized on your own terms. It's the perfect practical book for imperfect, impractical people.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Jill Lepore
[isbn]
Joe Gould's Teeth is an unexpected and macabre tale of historian Joe Gould, who captured the writing community's attention in the early 1920s. Claiming to be writing down the oral history of the world's unknown figures, Joe Gould wanted to do for history what Walt Whitman did for poetry. Jill Lepore digs through archives of Gould's letters and excerpts, searching for the presence of this gargantuan text, but what she uncovers is... (read more)
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Hely, Steve
[isbn]
A slacker dude decides the best way to get money and women is to write a bestselling novel... which he does. This is a flawless, hilarious satire of the book industry, and anyone who works in it should read this book. Hely is a writer for David Letterman, and it sure shows. Perfect.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Jennifer Pastiloff
[isbn]
Yoga guru and motivational speaker Jennifer Pastiloff brings her popular "On Being Human" workshop to the page in a powerful, inspirational memoir full of her own personal struggles and triumphs, told with candor, humanity, humor, and straight talk. An achingly authentic, truly empowering book.
Recommended by Gigi L.
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Kate Atkinson
[isbn]
Jackson Brodie is back! The protagonist of Kate Atkinson's terrific mystery series, he is funny, dark, kind, and understated — as are the books themselves. Atkinson always approaches her characters with compassion and understanding, which helps keep her mysteries (centered around lost girls) from sliding into too-dark territory. More Jackson, please!
Recommended by Leah C.
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Emily Bazelon
[isbn]
Emily Bazelon deftly combines an examination of the role prosecutors have played in the mass incarceration crisis with thoroughly reported stories of defendants caught in the system and the newly elected, reform-minded DAs who are working to change it. The result is one of the most informative — and most readable — books on criminal justice to come out in the last few years.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Tehlor Kay Mejia
[isbn]
This story is absolutely mind-boggling and touches on important topics such as queer relationships, privilege, sexism, and the inner workings of politics while continuing to be a quick read. The ending leaves you on the edge of your seat waiting for the next book in the series.
Recommended by Rin S.
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Kristen Arnett
[isbn]
Depressed taxidermist Jessa-Lynn tries to be her family’s source of reason, only to repeatedly come up against her own emotional demons and her family’s eccentricities. Mostly Dead Things is absolutely fabulous: a quintessential Floridian novel, riotously strange and discomfiting, and at the same time deeply human.
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Jamel Brinkley
[isbn]
This moving debut collection illuminates the lives of a generation of young black men in gentrifying neighborhoods in Brooklyn and the Bronx. As these nine stories move in time from the 1990s to the present, we watch as characters attempt to make connections and survive in a rapidly changing world.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Caleb Crain
[isbn]
I loved all the characters in Caleb Crain's Overthrow, and how the narrators bounced between them, while keeping the plot moving forward. Poetry, history, law, and queerness intermingle — all things that get me excited about a book. Not since I read Ben Lerner’s 10:04 have I felt like a novel captured the fraught relationships between humans and technology in late capitalism. I love a big novel with social concerns. If Henry... (read more)
Recommended by Adam P.
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Alexander Chee
[isbn]
In this collection of essays, Alexander Chee weaves his personal and political memory and history into a detailed fabric depicting his life as a queer writer in the world today. I was left feeling moved, inspired, and perhaps even somehow healed through Chee's piercing observations and insights.
Recommended by Adam P.
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Nathacha Appanah
[isbn]
There's something so unique about books that have been translated; the language feels different somehow — quieter, brighter, more lush — and here the translation is carried out elegantly. The Last Brother tells the story of Raj, a nine-year-old boy who lives on an island in the Indian Ocean during WWII. Raj is unaware of the war ravaging most of the world, but he becomes acutely aware of a group of Jewish refugees incarcerated in the... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Matt Haig
[isbn]
What if you could live for hundreds of years — but had to do so alone? What makes life worth living, and how do we make the right choices? Get ready to ponder these questions (and more!) in this poignant, adventurous, and wholly unique new novel by Matt Haig.
Recommended by Leah C.
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Mariko Tamaki, Illustrator Rosemary Valero OConnell
[isbn]
Freddie is head over heels for the popular and mysterious Laura Dean. So in love that she'll keep going back to Laura no matter how many times she breaks up with Freddie, and despite all her friends' interventions. If you're not pulled in by the cover alone (seriously, how stunning?) just wait until you open it up. Mariko Tamaki and Rosemary Valero-O'Connell have created a beautiful snippet of what it's like to be young, "in love," and in a toxic... (read more)
Recommended by Brianna B.
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Jackie Shannon Hollis
[isbn]
There was a time in my life when I thought I would never have children, and I so wish I had This Particular Happiness then. Here, Jackie Shannon Hollis attempts to reconcile herself to the idea of forever living childless, and the result is raw, bittersweet, and painful. Examining every feeling of sorrow, jealousy, need, regret, and pain, she unspools her story like the counselor that she is, always asking why, always digging deeper. Can... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Nicole Dennis-Benn
[isbn]
Nicole Dennis-Benn nails the dislocation of immigration in this beautiful, wrenching novel about a woman who abandons her young daughter in Jamaica to rekindle a love affair in New York City. The titular character is both courageous and bitterly disappointing, making for a fascinating, heartbreaking spin on the common tropes of immigrant struggle and upward mobility.
Recommended by Lucinda G.
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Eve Joseph
[isbn]
Open this book and inside you will find slender slivers, pulsating with life: a cooked capon wedged in the ceiling; a caretaker rescuing whores; frogs falling from the sky; "the blue coffin of trees"; a tacklebox of shiny lures; "the moon hiding in a bowl of blood oranges"; a yard of white feathers; "the house you grew up in"; Prometheus locked in his bedroom; "little moons spilled on the floor"; the tattoo of a concentration camp survivor; a jar... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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David F Walker, Chuck Brown, Sanford Greene
[isbn]
The Sangeryes are a family of monster hunters who live in Harlem in the 1920s. The family seems to be getting smaller while the monsters are getting stronger. This story does a great job of balancing action and energy with heavy themes like racism and family dynamics. I can't decide what I like better: the art or the story. Good thing I don't have to choose.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Simon Spurrier
[isbn]
Hum lives in a postapocalyptic world where magic is gone. He's trying to save his wife and has nothing but a freakish unicorn to help him. The story is both fun and emotional with characters you'll love and a world you'll need to know more about. The art, while sometimes super intense, is beautiful.
Recommended by Rose H.
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Alison Roman
[isbn]
Where some people have a sweet tooth, I have a sour tooth — which is why I LOVE Alison Roman, whose recipes are full of bright, acidic, unexpected flavors, with all the elegance and ease of home cook gurus like Melissa Clark and Ina Garten.
Recommended by Anna O.
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Teresa Wong
[isbn]
It is so good to continue to hear honest, healing stories of pregnancy and early motherhood. It's not all blue skies all the time and you can take courage from another woman's courage and keep moving forward. Teresa is funny and to the point in this graphic memoir! Some may not be able to relate to having so many resources (human and financial) to meet their needs, but for me that doesn't diminish the impact of her perseverance through postpartum... (read more)
Recommended by Ruth J.
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Adrienne Maree Brown, Rodriguez, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna Samarasinha
[isbn]
Adrienne Maree Brown believes that all activism is science fiction — writing into being a reality that hasn't existed before. That's an exciting idea, but the work of changing the world is also exhausting, and often leaves me focused on suffering, not to mention struggling with all the puritanism our culture is steeped in. But in Pleasure Activism, Brown facilitates a lush feminist conversation centered on black and queer voices that... (read more)
Recommended by Leanna M.
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Holly Goldberg Sloan, Meg Wolitzer
[isbn]
There is so much I love about this book — a thoroughly charming reverse parent trap. It comes from a powerhouse author duo, the main characters are hilarious and lovable, there are two summer camps (each deliciously terrible in their own ways), it features one of the best middle reader covers I've seen in ages, and most of all, it includes a powerful message about what it means to create and be a family.
Recommended by Sarah R.
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Autumn Christian
[isbn]
This is a story of sex worker as superhero and saint, and of sex as both superpower and sacrament. Girl Like a Bomb follows Beverly Sykes — a teenage girl bursting with desire who finds everyone she has slept with profoundly changed for the better — and her journey takes us everywhere from church orgies with depressed housewives to covert missions to sleep with a terrorist. Here, Autumn Christian has woven together an unapologetic fairy... (read more)
Recommended by Cosima C.
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Jen Beagin
[isbn]
Bizarre, uncomfortable, moving, and so creative. Following her breakup with a junkie, Mona moves to New Mexico and falls in with an cast of odd characters, all while excavating her past. A smart, very dark comedy.
Recommended by Eva F.
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Lucy Knisley
[isbn]
Finally, a smart graphic novel covering a wide range of modern maternity experience! Readers will also learn a little about medical and reproductive history, but the joy for me is in seeing the very real experiences of infertility, miscarriage, morning sickness, and birth represented plainly. This easy-to-read, delightfully illustrated novel left me feeling understood.
Recommended by Ruth J.
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Ocean Vuong
[isbn]
Ocean Vuong has written a true poet’s novel: a painfully perceptive and achingly beautiful reflection on American otherness. This book absolutely captured me.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Purusha
[isbn]
This rare small print is quite exciting due to its unique approach to gay sex and spirituality. More than erotica, Divine Androgyne links the nature of homosexuality to spirituality long before the age of gay marriage and just before the devastation of the AIDS crisis in the early '90s. Ask to see this fascinating title in our Rare Book Room!
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Su Bristow
[isbn]
I'm a giant sucker for a selkie story, and Bristow does a admirable job of fleshing out this old Scottish fairy tale. Donald spies a group of seals removing their skins and transforming into women one night on the strand. He hides one of the skins, and soon he has a bride. Bristow tells a heartbreaking story about family, forgiveness, redemption, and loss; and if selkies aren't real, no matter, Bristow will make you believe. Beautifully done,... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Mariam Gates, Margarita Surnaite
[isbn]
Adults often tell kids to "calm down," but we don't always teach kids the skills to actually calm down their bodies and their thoughts. This book does just that and is perhaps the friendliest feeling picture book I've ever read. With the help of some adorable animal friends and gently rhyming text, kids learn to concentrate on their breathing, slow their thoughts, notice the world around them, and identify their feelings. A fantastic introduction... (read more)
Recommended by Christine R.
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Mirka Andolfo
[isbn]
Unnatural is already an Italian hit and now, thanks to Image Comics, U.S. readers can join Leslie the pig as she navigates life and dating under a totalitarian regime. Any same-sex or interspecies relationships are illegal and deemed "unnatural," which makes Leslie's erotic, lucid dreams involving a wolf all the more worrisome. Gorgeously illustrated and written, this series is one you won't want to miss.
Recommended by Haley B.
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John Gall, Matt Dorfman, Kay Jun
[isbn]
For the past 25 years, graphic designer John Gall has designed award-winning books and covers for the likes of Dave Eggers, Haruki Murakami, and Vladimir Nabokov. John Gall Collages 2008-2018 is a collection of personal and commissioned artwork by the designer. The collage work — which began as a personal pursuit to expand his way of visual thinking — soon became its own form of artistic expression. Through popular Instagram and Tumblr... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Josh Levin
[isbn]
Josh Levin’s thoroughly reported exploration of the life of Reagan’s “Welfare Queen” sheds light on how the stories politicians tell often misrepresent the facts to appeal to the public’s baser beliefs. Levin skillfully demonstrates just how incomplete the official narrative on Linda Taylor was.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Sam Anderson
[isbn]
Sam Anderson has taken a variety of topics central to life in Oklahoma City, at least some of which you don’t care about: basketball, urban planning, extreme weather, the Flaming Lips, among others. Regardless of how predisposed you are to take an interest, Boom Town will win you over every time. This is a dazzling work of nonfiction.
Recommended by Keith M.
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Rita Indiana, Achy Obejas
[isbn]
Sea anemones! Francisco Goya! Buccaneers! Rita Indiana blends magical realism, time travel, eco-feminism, and art history into an unforgettable, zany romp. I never knew where the story was headed, but each element blended seamlessly, and not a word was wasted. I loved everything about this strange, wonderful book!
Recommended by Amy W.
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Elizabeth Goldring
[isbn]
Elizabethan miniatures are a thing of beauty and Nicholas Hilliard can be credited for raising them to their very heights. This is not just an art history book with beautiful jeweled illustrations of Hilliard's work, it is also a very fascinating biography of a man who rose from poverty to become Elizabeth I's decorated painter (and possible spy), but who ultimately ended up imprisoned for debt at the end of his life. A very engrossing read.
Recommended by Sheila N.
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Zachary Schomburg
[isbn]
In the past several years, Zach Schomburg has become a singular voice in American poetry with work that seems both clear-headed and surreal. Even his recent forays into visual art, collages, and his debut novel, Mammother, have been startling and unique. Pulver Maar collects poems from various projects (weird kids' fables, small chapbooks, writing for performance) and delivers them in a wonderful package. A reminder that there... (read more)
Recommended by Kevin S.
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Mac Barnett, Sarah Jacoby
[isbn]
First thing on my Monday, my coworker placed this book in my hand and implored me to read it. I did. I then immediately flipped to the beginning and read it a second time as it is simply that brilliant. This book is not only a biography of an important literary figure, but it is also so much more, in both how the writing begs to be read aloud and the way its themes honor the inherent intelligence and worth of its target audience — children. This... (read more)
Recommended by Jackie O.
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Max Porter
[isbn]
Max Porter pens a slender ode to mourning and loneliness in Grief Is the Thing With Feathers. When Mom dies, Crow comes to meet Dad and the Boys, and he vows to stay until he is no longer needed. Crow is a sort of trickster — a jester, but a gifted wordsmith as well, and he's here to help Dad through his grief. Crow's literary fireworks seem to soothe (or, perhaps, distract) Dad, and a timid bond begins. Porter's Crow reminds me a bit of... (read more)
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Ellen T Crenshaw, Colleen AF Venable
[isbn]
Amanda (aka Mads) enjoys normal teenage stuff: hanging out with her best friends Cat and Amanda and attending minor league baseball games with her dad. After her eighth kiss, her entire life gets turned upside down. While confronting her own sexuality, she learns of a big family secret that alters everything she's ever known. The story is engaging and the art compliments it perfectly. It made me cry in all the best ways.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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P Craig Russel, Linda Kindzierksi
[isbn]
So, you know the well-worn story of Tolkien's Middle Earth. Surely you've heard Wagner's "Ride of the Valkyrie." But have you ever stopped to wonder what inspired Tolkien's One Ring, and where the Valkyrie originated? Wonder no more because P. Craig Russell's Richard Wagner's The Ring of the Nibelung is a stunning and accessible way to enjoy Wagner's opera, and explore the mythology which inspired Tolkien and countless others. A true... (read more)
Recommended by Alex Y.
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Grace Ellis, Shae Beagle, Kate Leth
[isbn]
This is the most inclusive comic I have ever read in my whole life. There are gay werewolves, a gender-nonconforming centaur, a mermaid who uses a wheelchair, and more. It touches on topics of not needing to change your body for other people, first arguments as a couple, and teamwork. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys Rebecca Sugar's work as well.
Recommended by Rin S.
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Joseph Coelho, Allison Colpoys
[isbn]
A girl shares a year full of memories about her grandpa, season by season. She desperately doesn't want to say goodbye, but when her grandpa is gone, she finds her own way to both honor him and comfort herself. Bursting with expressive colorful illustrations, a beautiful story about loss and healing.
Recommended by Christine R.
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Sanae Ishida
[isbn]
Oh, if only we all had a Ninja Grandma! Little Kunoichi, her baby brother, and her pet bunny go to visit Grandma, who lives in a tree house island that does a secret amazing thing. There are so many fun things to do! But all is not just silly games here; Grandma Ninja has sage advice about the meaning of life, and the gifts we all have inside. Ninja Grandma is the best! Adorable!
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Cai Emmons
[isbn]
When Bronwyn realizes she has the ability to change the atmosphere around her, she feels woefully unqualified for the job. How much can she do, and how far can she go, and what is the purpose of this gift? Following her intuition, she boldly takes on catastrophes, but like a doctor, she understands that she must first do no harm. With an unusual storey, Emmons writes a tale full of science, faith, exploration, and maybe even love.
Recommended by Dianah H.
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Margaret M Holmes
[isbn]
Sherman Smith saw something that upset him so much that he decides to just not think about it. At all. Forever. He goes on with his life, but the reader begins to see that this plan is not working for Sherman as he deals with stomachaches, nightmares, getting in trouble at school, and other problems. Eventually Sherman begins to talk with Ms. Maple, who gently helps him to process his feelings, and he slowly starts feeling better. When I was... (read more)
Recommended by Christine R.
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Britteney Black Rose Kapri
[isbn]
Black Queer Hoe is a living, breathing masterpiece. A deep-dive exploration of identity that's at once brusque and tender, Kapri's debut collection is a must-read.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Seth
[isbn]
The story of two clashing Canadian brothers and the fan business that holds them together is a masterpiece 20-plus years in the making. Full of sentiment but never sentimental, its subtle emotional depictions of aching loneliness and disconnection expand the possibilities of the graphic novel form with complex layers of artistry. Astonishing and heartbreaking.
Recommended by Jason C.
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Ma Jian, Flora Drew
[isbn]
China Dream depicts the episodic efforts of Ma Daode, an aging apparatchik in the Chinese government intent on wallpapering over the violence of the Cultural Revolution with a REM-hijacking microchip that replaces dreams with nationalistic propaganda. While juggling a full schedule of political jockeying and wanton philandering, the beleaguered pencil pusher dodges his own visions of the past while becoming increasingly detached from... (read more)
Recommended by Justin W.
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Sandhya Menon
[isbn]
Full of heartfelt laughs and swoon-worthy banter, this book is a MUST! Sweetie is just such a force of nature. She accepts and embraces all of herself in a world that overly focuses on flaws that people have. Ashish and Sweetie are hopelessly adorable as they navigate their new relationship, standing up for what they need to succeed in their lives, both individually and as a couple. Sandhya Menon excels with stories that you just can't help but... (read more)
Recommended by Mecca A.
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Yangsze Choo
[isbn]
For the sheer pleasure of losing yourself in a striking time and place (colonial Malaysia in the 1930s); and in a love story between sharply drawn characters; and in a murder mystery involving ghost tigers, the Confucian virtues, an illicit trade in human fingers, and a train station that ferries the dead, nothing beats Choo’s evocative The Night Tiger. It threw me into that best of readerly conundrums: Racing through to see how it ends,... (read more)
Recommended by Rhianna W.
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Adam Savage
[isbn]
I enjoyed this book immensely. If you do anything moderately creative, from amateur hobbyist to laser-focused builder, you'll find yourself in this book. Have dreams of doing something crafty but lack the confidence to start? This book is for you too. I love that Savage explains his processes, how they've adapted over time and experience, but doesn't say "this is the right way." In fact, I think the key point he makes is that everyone is... (read more)
Recommended by Lesley A.
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Rene Denfeld
[isbn]
Rene Denfeld has amassed a small army of devotees here at Powell's, and with The Butterfly Girl, she's certain to garner more. This riveting follow-up to The Child Finder (which you needn’t have read beforehand, but do read it; it’s wonderful) showcases Denfeld’s unique ability to dive headlong into the murky depths and surface with something redemptive and beautiful in tow.
Recommended by Tove H.
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Leland de la Durantaye
[isbn]
Hannah Versus the Tree is a wholly original, genre-melding stunner. An epic poem for the digital age, a romance, and a mythological wonder all wrapped up into one. Leland de la Durantaye's debut will leave readers breathless under it's entrancing spell.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Bud Smith
[isbn]
An undeniably refreshing memoir, Smith chronicles his upbringing in a blue-collar family in New Jersey, his decision to opt out of college, and the daily grind of working a heavy construction job at an oil refinery. Using his lunch breaks to write and detailing his introduction into the literary world, this book serves as a glowing reminder that endless stories worth reading are created and exist outside of academia.
Recommended by Haley B.
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Jasper Fforde
[isbn]
Jasper Fforde's story takes place in a delightful alternate world filled with imagination and humor. It's a world where original author manuscripts are priceless, and ferocious debates about the authorship of Shakespeare's plays occupy the populace. Yep, this is a quite learned alternate universe. The story's protagonist, Tuesday Next, is a detective in charge of monitoring literary crimes. Her job title: LiteraTec. Her nemesis: A former English... (read more)
Recommended by Bart K.
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Kwame Alexander
[isbn]
Newbery medalist Kwame Alexander wrote this wonderful poem about the joys of books and reading. Bright, collage-inspired illustrations bring this poem to life. Current and future book lovers will find happiness inside these pages. I can’t help but smile each time I read it.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Yamile Saied Mendez and Jaime Kim
[isbn]
A young girl is often asked, "Where are you really from?," so she turns to her abuelo for guidance. He provides her with a lovely and unexpected answer. The beautiful prose and colorful illustrations combine for a very powerful message about love and family.
Recommended by Jennifer H.
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Evan Winter
[isbn]
This book was interesting enough for the first quarter, but then it grabbed me and didn't let go. It's a searing story, and Evan Winter never lets the plot, or the characters, take the easy way out. I can't wait for the next one!
Recommended by Amber N.
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