Sponsored by Holiday House.
Anna’s mother has died, leaving Anna and her father to care for a young sister with special needs. When a violent encounter with the Lord’s rent collector results in their arrest, all seems lost. But Anna sees her chance and bolts from the jailhouse. On the run, Anna must rely on her own inner strength to find a way to save her family. A Slip of a Girl, told in verse, is a poignant story by a two-time Newbery Honor-winning author painting a haunting history of the Irish tensions in the early 1890s, and the aftermath of the Great Famine.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf! This is your guide to help librarians like you up your game when it comes to doing your job (& rocking it).
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
- A large number of Bustle staffers were laid off, including its Books senior editor. No word yet on what the upcoming site relaunch will look like.
- Is publishing too reliant on best-sellers?
- How magazines typically aimed at men are rethinking themselves.
New & Upcoming Titles
- Tori Amos announces an upcoming politically-themed memoir.
- Val Kilmer also announces a memoir, coming in April 2020.
- Vox co-founder Ezra Klein announces a new book called Why We’re Polarized, out January 2020.
- Charlie Jane Anders announces her latest book, Even Greater Mistakes.
- The first look at The Empire of Gold, the last book in the Daevabad trilogy by S.A. Chakraborty.
- 10 new books getting major award buzz.
- Best books of November from Barnes & Noble (SFF), BBC, Bookmarks (SFF), CrimeReads (Psychological thrillers, true crime) io9 (SF), The Millions (poetry), PopSugar, Salon
What Your Patrons are Hearing About
- In the Dream House – Carmen Maria Machado (Buzzfeed, New York Times, NPR, USA Today, Washington Post)
- Little Weirds – Jenny Slate (Elle, The Guardian, NPR, Vulture, Washington Post)
- A Warning – Anonymous (New York Times, Washington Post)
- The Starless Sea – Erin Morganstern (Bustle, NPR)
- Out Loud – Mark Morris (New York Times, Washington Post)
- The Witches Are Coming – Lindy West (Bustle, New York Times)
- Nothing to See Here – Kevin Wilson (NPR, Washington Post)
- The Vanderbeekers to the Rescue – Karina Yan Glaser, who’s a fellow Rioter! (New York Times)
RA/Genre Resources
- The science, fiction, and fantasy of genre. Or for readers looking for a snarkier take, you can read this essay: “Science Fiction vs. Fantasy: The Choice is Clear.”
- An introduction to magical realism.
On the Riot
- November YA releases to add to your collection.
All Things Comics
- The Washington Post and Scribner are teaming up to create a graphic nonfiction version of the Mueller Report.
- Colin Farrell is playing the Penguin in the upcoming Batman film, and Andy Serkis wants to play Alfred.
- 5 comics to read in November.
- Best manga of November.
On the Riot
Audiophilia
On the Riot
- 5 great audiobooks narrated by Emily Woo Zeller.
- The joys of rereading books on audio.
- 21 of the best Audible books to gift this season.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
- Books that introduce children to different holiday cultures and traditions.
- Tear-jerking historical fiction novels for teens.
Adults
- Must-read crime books set in the American West.
- 100 novels that shaped the worlds of these BBC staffers.
- 20 best nonfiction books of the decade.
- 9 books for Native American Heritage Month.
- 25 best memoirs of the decade.
- 10 books for fans of Battlestar Galactica.
- 33 tearjerkers for the next time you need a good cry.
- 6 legal thrillers with social messages.
Found on Book Riot
- 20 must-read children’s books about family.
- 10 queer YA fantasy series for your next marathon read.
- YA fairy books for fans of Holly Black.
- 5 memoirs from Latina actresses.
- Comfort food cookbooks for winter.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in LibraryReads, the monthly list of best books selected by librarians only? We’ve made it easy for you to find eligible diverse titles to nominate. Kelly Jensen created a database of upcoming diverse books that anyone can edit, and Nora Rawlins of Early Word is doing the same, as well as including information about series, vendors, and publisher buzz.
Thanks for hanging! See you on Friday!
–Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading Allegedly by Tiffany D. Jackson.