Mascot, by Waters and Sorell (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. The July 18 selection features Mascot, by Charles Waters and Traci Sorell.

International Non-Binary People’s Day (Reading from Jamie, by L.D. Lapinski)

To commemorate International Non-Binary People’s Day — celebrated each year on July 14 — here is a reading from Jamie by L.D. Lapinski. Jamie Rambeau loves hanging out with their two best friends, Daisy and Ash. But when the trio find out that their local middle schools separate students into a school for boys and a school for girls, their friendship suddenly seems at risk. Where does Jamie, a non-binary student, fit in? Whichever of their friends Jamie chooses to go to school with, the other will have to navigate a new middle school on their own.
https://youtu.be/ysMNkOxQSEk

Same Page, by Elly Swartz

This book raises a lot of valuable points about the importance of offering diverse books that can serve a diverse readership.

One example is when Bess’s friend June dismissed the removal of books from the vending machine. June proposed a list of replacement books, and Bess pointed out the books June was proposing weren’t the same kinds of books as the books that were removed from the vending machine.

June asked Bess, “Why do you even care so much? I mean, most of the books that were pulled aren’t even about kids like us.”

Authors and librarians are NOT groomers

Amid ever-increasing incidents of book challenges, I’m worried by inflammatory rhetoric that portrays librarians and authors as “groomers” of young people. Speaking as someone who survived an attempt at grooming, I consider this characterization to be vile and obscene.
https://youtu.be/SPMmEs7KdGM

Just Lizzie, by Karen Wilfrid (eBook preview)

Presenting … First-chapter Friday, the eBook edition. The July 4 selection features Just Lizzie, by Karen Wilfrid.

Librarians I admire (Hohl, Threets, and Helmick)

With a couple of photos that came across my timeline, I want to honor three librarians I admire: Cindy Hohl, Mychal Threets, and Sam Helmick.
https://youtu.be/2XxcIyjl6-s