Sponsored by Oni Lion Forge Publishing Group.
A charming and magical graphic novel based on Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women! Jo, Beth, Amy, and Meg March are four sisters living in Concord with their parents—Father, who’s tending to soldiers fighting in the Civil War, and Marmee, who teaches the girls simple but effective witchcraft. The Marches have to keep their craft quiet, as there are many in Concord who see magic in a bad light—especially after things begin disappearing.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Anyone else hitting a wall from working at home? I had been doing fine for awhile, but now it’s like my brain refuses to do any sort of high-level thinking, planning, or executing, which is…irritating, to say the least. We’ll see if this week is any better.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
- Minneapolis bookstores are rebuilding after sustaining damage during the protests against police brutality at the beginning of the summer.
- Why organizing workers in the book industry is so damn hard.
New & Upcoming Titles
- Andy Weir’s next book, Project Hail Mary, will be published on May 4, 2021.
- Sharon Stone has a memoir on the way.
- Bette Midler is publishing a children’s book.
- A first look at Weird Al’s upcoming photo book, Black & White & Weird All Over.
- George Eliot joins 24 female authors making their debuts under their real names, in this “Reclaim Her Name” collection.
- A look at the “mega year” in publishing, as previously delayed books are starting to arrive in droves.
- High-profile prequels of 2020.
- Blockbuster books of the summer.
- 13 buzzy books to read before the summer ends.
- August picks from Book Page (romance), Crime Reads, PopSugar, and Salon.
- 5 books in translation you may have missed in July.
- 15 new books to get excited for.
- Best books of the year so far.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
- Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents – Isabel Wilkerson (NPR, Washington Post)
- Luster – Raven Leilani (The Atlantic, New York Times)
- You Had Me at Hola – Alexis Daria (NPR)
- The Hollow Ones – Guillermo del Toro (Washington Post)
RA/Genre Resources
- A look at the wave of food memoirs and the lack of diversity.
On the Riot
- Four meaningful things you can do to celebrate Independent Bookstore Day from home.
- How to find the editor of a book.
- 10 great new indie press books for the summer.
- New YA dystopian reads for 2020.
- Reading pathway for Alice Hoffman.
- What makes a book a “beach read?”
All Things Comics
- New York Comic Con is going virtual in October.
- 5 new graphic novel series for kids.
- 3 graphic novel detective stories for kids.
On the Riot
- The best SDCC panels to watch from home.
- A guide to the Baby-Sitters Club graphic novels by Raina Telgemeier.
- Graphic novels and illustrated books about women.
Audiophilia
- Best celebrity memoir audiobooks narrated by the authors.
- Audiobooks under 3 hours for readers with short attention spans.
On the Riot
- 6 of the best family dramas on audio.
- 15 LGBTQ YA audiobooks for the second half of the year.
- What’s your audiobook listening speed?
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
- 20 children’s books written by and about VP candidate Kamala Harris.
- Books that help kids learn a new language.
- 10 vampire books to pick up after finishing Midnight Sun.
- 27 YA books with strong female characters.
Adults
- 8 unsettling historical thrillers.
- 20 books like Netflix’s Unsolved Mysteries (which HOLY COW is a bonkers show!)
- 7 books that take women’s bodies seriously.
- 14 Black authors you should read right now.
- 7 novels about studying abroad.
- 43 of the most iconic short stories in the English language.
- Greatest novels written about every sport.
- 9 novels about nannies for grown-up Baby-Sitters Club fans.
- 15 books you can read in one sitting.
- 11 new books that will change how you think about the climate crisis.
On the Riot
- 15 art books for preschoolers to bring out their inner Picasso.
- 15 books about Native American tradition and history for children.
- 8 insightful picture books to help kids cope with anxiety.
- 5 YA books about selkies.
- 9 YA folklore books from around the globe.
- 8 awesome zombie books for adults.
- 6 murder mysteries with classical music.
- 11 Black sci-fi authors to read right now.
- 7 books to inspire confidence.
- 10 books like Moby Dick if you loved (or mildly enjoyed) this book in school.
- 6 of the best South African Black authors writing about race.
- 10 compelling eco fiction reads.
Level Up (Library Reads)
Do you take part in Library Reads, 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.
Mask up and stay hydrated. See you on Friday!
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.