Sponsored by Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group
Keep the queer reads coming! From the inclusive and informative Quick & Easy series, to tales of teen love like Mooncakes and Cheer Up!, to gentle middle-grade fantasies like The Tea Dragon Tapestry and Girl Haven, celebrate finding yourself and what makes you happy this Pride month and beyond with joyful, empowering stories from the Oni-Lion Forge Publishing Group!
Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I’m preparing for another hectic week where it feels like I’m accomplishing absolutely nothing…so, basically the very definition of library work. Let me just say that I will be very happy when our summer reading program has launched.
Collection Development Corner
Publishing News
The inaugural US Book Show will take the place of Book Expo, and it will offer a library-specific track.
This publisher claimed to have cancer, as well as experience as a Trump advisor in order to swindle authors, and now she’s in jail facing fraud charges.
HarperCollins completes its purchase of Houghton Mifflin Harcourt.
Colin Kaepernick’s publishing house announces its first title, Abolition for the People: The Movement for a Future Without Policing in Prisons, which Kaepernick will edit himself.
Powell’s employee union files grievances over rehires.
Want to feel old? American Girl is celebrating its 35th anniversary with a new Random House publishing program.
New & Upcoming Titles
Sarah J. Maas announced the title and release date of her next book.
50 of the best LGBTQ books that will heat up the literary landscape in 2021.
New books to read for AAPI Heritage Month.
The most exciting Canadian books coming out in Spring 2021.
The complete list of buzzy books for Fall and Winter 2021.
Weekly book picks from Crime Reads, The Root, and USA Today.
May picks from Crime Reads (psychological thrillers) and Tor.com (horror & genre-benders).
Summer reading picks from Crime Reads, Parade, and Shondaland.
What Your Patrons Are Hearing About
Billie Eilish – Billie Eilish (LA Times, Washington Post)
Brat: An 80’s Story – Andrew McCarthy (USA Today, Washington Post)
Amazon Unbound: Jeff Bezos and the Invention of a Global Empire – Brad Stone (New York Times, Washington Post)
While Justice Sleeps – Stacey Abrams (New York Times)
Mary Jane – Jessica Anya Blau (New York Times)
The Plot – Jean Hanff Korelitz (New York Times)
RA/Genre Resources
The essential Elin Hildebrand.
Forget the best-seller list: these lesser-known works deserve your attention.
Airplane thrillers take off this summer.
Meet the climate anxiety novel.
On the Riot
20 of the best new psychological thrillers.
7 exciting new murder mysteries.
3 upcoming and new YA apocalyptic and dystopian novels.
Reading pathway for Helen Oyeyemi.
10 best book recommendation sites.
All Things Comics
This graphic novel tackles COVID disinformation and shows what people can do to limit the fallout.
How The Good Asian comic book series uses detective noir to explore anti-Asian racism.
10 most romantic comic book weddings.
On the Riot
The 25 best comic and graphic novel fairy tale retellings.
Audiophilia
Slate is jumping into the audiobook arena.
How trans and nonbinary actors are revolutionizing audiobooks.
Celebrating AAPI stories and lives.
The power of stories of new Americans for young listeners.
The top 20 most recommended audiobooks.
On the Riot
6 more of the best audiobooks for Mental Health Awareness Month.
Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists
Children/Teens
10 fantastic YA Jane Austen retellings to add to your shelves.
14 YA books featuring Jewish protagonists.
Adults
9 nonfiction books by AAPI authors that should be on your TBR.
Books by Haitian and Haitian American authors.
7 books that will make you think about motherhood in new ways.
15 books you and your mom will love.
15 books to read after devouring The Lost Apothecary.
10 thrillers to wake you up faster than a shot of espresso.
33 beach reads to help you escape.
7 books about the partition of India and Pakistan.
Good noir novels set in the Pacific Northwest.
9 great thrillers featuring alter egos.
18 of the best books on writing.
5 fictional planets plagued by extreme climate shifts.
21 horror novels to read with the lights on.
9 books to expand your Star Wars reading list.
On the Riot
4 of the best picture books about photography.
9 heartfelt middle grade books about friendship.
5 great YA novels set in hotels and resorts.
7 cozy & cheerful books like Ted Lasso.
20 must-read crime novels to keep you up at night.
14 must-read books about Indian history.
Hauntings in horror literature.
Parenting books for parents who hate parenting books.
5 contemporary novels featuring queer parents.
4 of the best books behind Oscar-winning films.
37 fantasy books with no homophobia or transphobia.
8 great books about high school reunions.
9 of the best books for adults about friendship.
25 of your favorite stories about animals.
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.
As one of my high school English teachers used to say, “Be good this week, and if you can’t be good, be careful!” I’ll see you all on Friday.
—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.