Sponsored by Oni Press
The powerful young sorceress Courtney Crumrin has battled against all manner of evil, but helping her little brother Will navigate high school might be the death of her. After a hundred years in the realm of faeries, Will Crumrin needs help adapting to the mortal world, and Courtney’s glamor charm does just the trick. But Will soon finds endless popularity more a prison than a plus when Courtney’s magical retaliation against the school bully draws the attention of an ancient, powerful vampire. Soon, Courtney is the targeted one, and Will must find his own power to save her.
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m writing this newsletter on a Wednesday, and I’m starting a petition to end this week early. Anyone else with me?
Libraries & Librarians
News Updates
Pride Month book displays at Lafayette (LA) public libraries draw concern from the board vice president.
Cool Library Updates
StoryWalks bring young readers outdoors during the pandemic.
The Evansville Vanderburgh (IN) Public Library has partnered with Legacy Taste of the Garden and Urban Seeds to offer a series of free summer classes for third through fifth graders.
Librarians look to sustain the pandemic surge in graphic novel interest.
Worth Reading
Libraries find success in peer collaboration.
Book Adaptations in the News
Miriam Toews’ Women Talking is being adapted for film, and will star Rooney Mara and Frances McDorman.
Indigenous producer Stories First is adapting Jonny Appleseed by Joshua Whitehead.
Netflix is adapting Maureen Goo’s YA novel Somewhere Only We Know.
Kim Johnson’s This is My America is being adapted for TV by HBO.
Casting update for The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry.
Teaser trailer for The Chestnut Man.
Books & Authors in the News
The Department of Justice drops its case against John Bolton.
(TW: transphobia) Akwaeke Emezi responds to Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s recent viral essay, saying that the essay was intended to incite transphobic attacks towards them.
Persepolis has been removed from the Commack High School required reading list.
Hungary’s vague anti-LGBTQ+ law may see Shakespeare and Sappho banned from classrooms and restricted in bookstores.
Award News
The 2021 Hugo Administration Team has resigned and released a statement on Twitter.
Jason Reynolds wins the Carnegie Medal for Look Both Ways.
Catherine Lacey wins the 2021 Young Lions Fiction Award for Pew.
Hilary Mantel has won the Walter Scott Prize for Historical Fiction for a second time.
The longlist for the McIlvanney Prize for Scottish crime writing has been announced.
Pop Cultured
Disney+ orders a Beauty and the Beast prequel starring Luke Evans and Josh Gad.
Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous
When Abraham Lincoln tried his hand at being a true crime writer.
On the Riot
7 Instagram accounts to follow if you’re a school librarian.
Busting the Model Minority Myth: Let’s see Indian Americans fail in literature.
A case for being kind to tired booksellers.
How to buy books for people who don’t read.
Books don’t have to explain themselves to you.
The surprising joy of the slow read.
All right, everyone, stay literally and figuratively cool this weekend. I’ll catch you on Tuesday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.