Recommendations for Adults:
Untamed by Glennon Doyle (Mar 2020)
An activist, speaker and philanthropist offers a memoir wrapped in a wake-up call that reveals how women can reclaim their true, untamed selves by breaking free of the restrictive expectations and cultural conditioning that leaves them feeling dissatisfied and lost.
Hell and Other Destinations: A 21st-Century Memoir by Madeleine Albright (Apr 2020)
Revealing, funny and inspiring, the author and former Secretary of State - one of the world's most admired and tireless public servants - reflects on the final stages of her career and how she has blazed her own trail in her later years.
The Office: The Untold Story of the Greatest Sitcom of the 2000s: An Oral History by Andy Greene (Mar 2020)
The untold stories behind The Office, one of the most iconic television shows of the twenty-first century, told by its creators, writers, and actors.
Humble Pi: When Math Goes Wrong in the Real World by Matt Parker (Jan 2020)
This tour of real-world mathematical disasters reveals the importance of math in everyday life. All sorts of seemingly innocuous mathematical mistakes can have significant consequences. Exploring and explaining a litany of glitches, near misses, and mathematical mishaps involving the internet, big data, elections, street signs, lotteries, the Roman Empire and an Olympic team, Matt Parker uncovers the ways math trips us up.
Spirit Run: A 6,000-Mile Marathon through North America's Stolen Land by Noe Alvarez (Mar 2020)
A debut memoir by the son of working-class Mexican immigrants describes his upbringing in Washington State, membership in the Peace and Dignity Journeys movement and competition in the Native American cultural marathon from Canada to Guatemala.
Go to Sleep (I Miss You): Cartoons from the Fog of New Parenthood by Lucy Knisley (Feb 2020)
Following the completion of her pregnancy memoir Kid Gloves (and the birth of her baby), Lucy embarked on a new project: documenting new motherhood in short, spontaneous little cartoons, which she posted on her Instagram, and which quickly gained her a huge cult following among other moms.
Recommendations for Teens:
Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You by Ibram X. Kendi and Jason Reynolds (Mar 2020)
The construct of race has always been used to gain and keep power, to create dynamics that separate and silence. Racist ideas are woven into the fabric of this country, and the first step to building an antiracist American is acknowledging America's racist past and present. This book takes you on that journey, showing how racist ideas started and were spread, and how they can be discredited.
Almost American Girl: An Illustrated Memoir by Robin Ha (Jan 2020)
Moving abruptly from Seoul to Alabama, a Korean teen struggles in a hostile blended home and a new school where she does not speak English before forging unexpected connections in a local comic drawing class.
This Book is Anti-Racist by Tiffany Jewell (Jan 2020)
This book is written for the young person who doesn't know how to speak up to the racist adults in their life. It is written so children and young adults will feel empowered to stand up to the adults who continue to close doors in their faces. This book will give them the language and ability to understand racism and a drive to undo it.
Flowers in the Gutter: The True Story of the Edelweiss Pirates, Teenagers Who Resisted the Nazis by K. R. Gaddy (Jan 2020)
The Edelweiss Pirates were a loosely organized group of working-class young people in the Rhine Valley of Germany. They faced off with Nazis during the Third Reich and suffered consequences for their resistance during and after World War II.
Say Her Name by Zetta Elliott (Jan 2020)
Inspired by the African American Policy Forum's #SayHerName campaign and the work of such notables as Lucille Clifton and Nikki Giovanni, a collection of poems stands as a tribute to Black Lives Matter activists and victims of police brutality.
Thank You for Coming to My TED Talk: A Teen Guide to Great Public Speaking by Chris Anderson (Mar 2020)
A teen adaptation of the best-selling TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking shares tips and techniques for becoming a confident and capable speaker at school presentations, in interviews, and during special occasions.
Recommendations for Kids:
The Oldest Student: How Mary Walker Learned to Read by Rita L. Hubbard (Jan 2020)
A picture book biography sharing the inspiring and incredible true story of the nation's oldest student, Mary Walker, who learned to read at the age of 116.
Normal: One Kid's Extraordinary Journey by Magdelena & Nathaniel Newman (Jan 2020)
This moving memoir follows a teenage boy with TC syndrome and his exceptional family from diagnosis at birth to now. Also check out the memoir written for adults: Normal: A Mother and Her Beautiful Son (Jan 2020).
Consent (for Kids!): Boundaries, Respect, and Being in Charge of You by Rachel Brian (Jan 2020)
Engaging comic artwork and comprehensive expert information combine in an empowering introduction to understanding everyday consent, body autonomy and personal boundaries.
Cast Away: Poems for Our Time by Naomi Shihab Nye (Feb 2020)
Poet Naomi Shihab Nye shines a spotlight on the things we cast away, from plastic water bottles to refugees.
All the Way to the Top: How One Girl's Fight for Americans with Disabilities Changed Everything by Annette Bay Pimentel (Mar 2020)
Diagnosed with cerebral palsy at birth, Jennifer Keelan grew up battling-and overcoming - the limitations others set for her. This illustrated biography of Jennifer's life and celebration of youth activism will teach all children that they have the power to make a difference.
Selena: Queen of Tejano Music by Silvia Lopez (Feb 2020)
Nearly 25 years after her death, the musical origin and cultural impact of Mexican American performer Selena Quintanilla are celebrated.