Author: Katie McLain

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I am another year older, although it feels like I’ve aged an entire decade in the last six months. Something tells me I’m not alone here.

Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• Booksellers in new COVID hotspots such as Texas, Arizona, and Florida, are exercising extra caution.
• A group of children’s authors have started the hashtag #KidlitForMasks to raise awareness about the importance of wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID.
• “A conflicted cultural force:” What it’s like to be Black in publishing.
• Lucasfilm is starting a new publishing program dedicated to The Mandalorian.

New & Upcoming Titles

• Lenny Kravitz and Sir Patrick Stewart both have memoirs in the works.
• Jennifer Egan is working on a companion novel to A Visit From the Goon Squad.
• Amazon has romance and nonfiction picks for the summer.
• July book picks from Amazon, AV/Club, Barnes & Noble, Bustle, Crime Reads, Den of Geek (SFF and YA), Entertainment Weekly, io9, LA Times, The Millions (poetry), Time, Town & Country, and Yahoo.
• 13 of the most-anticipated books by Indigenous authors for the second half of 2020.
• Most anticipated debuts in the second half of 2020.
• Best books of the year so far from Amazon (Biographies/memoirs, mysteries/thrillers, and SFF), BBC, and Entertainment Weekly.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• Mexican Gothic – Silvia Moreno-Garcia (LA Times, NPR, Washington Post)
• Sex and Vanity – Kevin Kwan (Washington Post)
• Home Before Dark – Riley Sager (USA Today)
• Friends and Strangers – J. Courtney Sullivan (Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

• Reading anti-racist nonfiction is a start, but don’t underestimate the power of Black fiction.
• P.D. James: A crime reader’s guide to the classics.

On the Riot

• Summer 2020 YA books.
• 20 must-read YA rom-coms for 2020.
• Reading pathway for Patricia Highsmith.

All Things Comics

• An update on the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund.

On the Riot

• The best comics Rioters read from April to June of this year.
• 8 animal-centric manga series.

Audiophilia

• Audible signed a multi-project development and first-look deal with James Patterson.
• 23 audiobooks that are even better than the print version.
• 5 audiobooks for the bereft sports fan.

On the Riot

• Appalachian audiobooks.

Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• 11 great books about the 4th of July for kids.
• 10 inclusive & anti-racist books for kids and teens.
  

Adults

• Anti-racist reading list from The Panorama Project and The Washington Post.
• 7 dark thrillers about friendships gone wrong.
• Books for readers who need a laugh.
• 8 anti-capitalist scifi and fantasy novels.
• 8 speculative fiction books by Black authors about Black futures.
• 11 essential books by Black Canadian authors.

On the Riot

• 9 of the best productivity books for when you’re mentally exhausted.
• 7 gay werewolf books.
• Funny memoirs by funny people.
• 8 poetry and verse novels to get you into poetry.
• 5 science fiction books full of humor.
• 5 nonfiction reads to learn more about viruses.
• 8 LGBTQ+ mythology books for your representation needs.
• Essential nonfiction books about the Middle East.
• Books that play with the art of time.
• 7 great books that generate empathy.

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.

 

Stay safe and stay well, everyone.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Searcher by Tana French. (Don’t hate!)

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Book Riot is taking this Friday off for the 4th of July, so the next issue of CYS will be coming out next Tuesday. In the meantime, I’m gearing up for my (very chill) 31st birthday on Sunday and a week off from work after that. It’s my gift to myself every year to take time off from work around my birthday.

Regardless, I hope everyone can take a breather this weekend, and remember to stay masked up and safe.

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Black Lives Matter 

• Resources for cultivating an anti-racist mindset.
• Black voices 2020.
• You should have been listening to Octavia Butler this whole time.
• 6 books to help kids and young adults learn about racism.
• 7 revolutionary anthologies by Black women.
• 5 books that provide historical context for today’s protests.
• 5 graphic novels by Black authors.
• Cookbooks by Black authors.
• 11 books by Black authors to preorder.
• 8 poetry collections on Blackness.
• 10 powerful bell hooks books on the intersection of race and feminism.
• 6 nonfiction Canadian books by Black authors about racism.

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Pride Month

• Children’s books for LGBTQ+ families.
• LGBTQ+ books for kids.
• 10 middle-grade LGBTQ+ books.
• 3 YA F/F rom-coms to read for Pride Month.
• 17 highly-anticipated books by LGBTQIA+ authors for the second half of 2020.
• 16 queer love stories.
• LGBTQ+ books that are changing the literary landscape in 2020.
• LGBTQIA+ SFF books from Bustle and Riveted Lit.
• 7 queer comics by nonbinary writers.

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Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• Macmillan CEO John Sargent steps back from the day-to-day operations of US publishing, which will be handled by a 13-person committee.
• Eight out of ten board members and the executive director have resigned from the International Thriller Writers Association, which faced widespread criticism for its responses to Black Lives Matter protests.
• Writers Against Racial Injustice raises $55,000 for the Equal Justice Initiative.
• Several authors have quit their literary agency after it stood behind JK Rowling’s recent transphobic statements.
• For disabled and other marginalized fans, online events aren’t a compromise – they’re a lifeline.

New & Upcoming Titles

• Publishers Weekly unveils its adult book announcements for Fall 2020.
• George R.R. Martin hopes that Winds of Winter will be published in 2021. As with most George R.R. Martin-related news, I’ll believe it when I see it.
• Maureen Johnson announces an unexpected fourth book in the Truly Devious series.
• Julie Murphy announces the third and final book in the Dumplin’ universe.
• Grady Hendrix has two new books coming out over the next couple years.
• Emma C. Eisenberg, who wrote The Third Rainbow Girl, announces a two book deal.
• 6 international crime novels to read for June.
• July picks from Epic Reads and the New York Times.
• Best Books of 2020 (so far) from Amazon, Crime Reads, and Tor.com.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• Death in Her Hands – Ottessa Moshfegh (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times, NPR, USA Today, Washington Post)
• The Lightness – Emily Temple (Entertainment Weekly, LA Times)
• The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett (USA Today)
• The Room Where It Happened: A White House Memoir – John Bolton (LA Times)
• Friends and Strangers – J. Courtney Sullivan (New York Times)

RA/Genre Resources

• How women writers are transforming hardboiled noir.
• Some bookstores are displaying books with the back cover facing out, in an attempt to get people to pick up books based on the blurb rather than the cover.

On the Riot

• 2019 diversity in children’s and YA literature.
• Reading pathway for Francesca Lia Block.

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All Things Comics

• (TW: sexual assault) Chris Brownstein, executive director of the Comic Book Legal Defense Fund, has resigned from the organization as a result of renewed pressure from the industry surrounding a 2005 sexual assault.
• (TW: sexual harassment) Kelly Sue DeConnick talks about how the comic industry fosters sexual harassment, and how to change the system.
• Michael Keaton is in talks to reprise his role as Batman for the upcoming Flash movie.
• This upcoming graphic novel, Science of Ghosts, sounds super rad!

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Audiophilia

• Libro.fm raised over $67,000 in celebration of Juneteenth, which will be distributed between 53 Black-owned Libro.fm partner bookstores.
• June is almost over, but there’s still time to try and score some awesome audio giveaways.
• New romance picks on audio, plus Black voices in romance.
• Best audiobooks of June.

On the Riot

• 5 audiobooks by or about women who speak up and fight back.
• 3 audiobooks written and narrated by queer women.
• 4 audiobooks to discover on Spotify.

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Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• Ultimate YA summer reading list.
• 20 standalone YA fantasy novels.

Adults

• 16 books to celebrate Caribbean-American Heritage Month.
• 5 books with fantasy worlds inspired by India.
• Thrillers & mysteries with characters stuck in isolation.
• 50 books to transport you this summer.
• Best sports memoirs, according to sports journalists.
• 19 books about summer romance.
• 11 thrilling procedurals that don’t involve the police.
• 18 books featuring interracial relationships.
• 7 grisly reads for fans of The Alienist.

On the Riot

• 6 free children’s eBooks about COVID.
• 8 international adventure stories for kids.
• Anti-racist middle grade books to help young readers challenge white supremacy.
• 50 must-read books for 6th graders.
• 8 horror novels set in Maine that aren’t by Stephen King.
• 15 books similar to Dune.
• 5 compelling memoirs of women who hiked the Pacific Coast Trail.

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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.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. This week, we unsealed our library’s book drops for the first time in three and a half months, and found three books and a partially-eaten chocolate muffin. Add that to the 2020 reopening bingo card!

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Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

• We shouldn’t have to say this…but please don’t microwave your library books as a way to kill COVID.
• The men who were involved with the rare book heist from Carnegie Library have been sentenced to house arrest.
• Libraries adapt quickly to launch summer reading programs.

Cool Library Updates

• How libraries are supporting the Black Lives Matter movement.
• 12-year-old Jonah Larson has been using his crochet skills to raise enough money to build a school library in the Ethiopian community where he was born!
• Ipswitch library staff record an audiobook for a 102-year-old woman.
• This librarian has been illustrating the pandemic from the eyes of fellow library staff members.

Worth Reading

• Black women librarians during WWII created lists of anti-racist books as an explicitly political act.
• Coronavirus tests the limits of America’s public libraries.
• In defense of dumping 600,000 books.
• Tips for filming virtual storytime. Also, do online storytimes violate copyright?
• Bookmobiles navigate new terrain in the pandemic.
• Putting a value on author visits at the library.
• It’s time for a permanent change in reading habits.

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Book Adaptations in the News

• Not surprisingly, Adrian McKinty’s thriller The Chain is getting a film adaptation.
• Hulu is developing a comedy series based on the book Action Park: Fast Times, Wild Rides, and the Untold Story of America’s Most Dangerous Amusement Park by Andy Mulvihill and Jake Rossen.
• Hulu is also developing a limited series based on Beth Macy’s bestselling book, Dopesick, starring Michael Keaton.
• Hulu’s also ALSO planning an anthology series based on Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell.
• They’re finally making an Animorphs movie!
• NBC is adapting Dan Brown’s The Lost Symbol.
• James McBride’s Deacon King Kong is getting a film adaptation.
• Oscar Isaac is starring in the movie London, which is based on a short story by Jo Nesbo and will be directed by Ben Stiller. Look, they had me at “Oscar Isaac.”
• Netflix is adapting the upcoming book Dial A for Aunties by Jesse Q. Sutano, which is described as “Crazy Rich Asians meets Weekend at Bernie’s.” *insert wide-eyed emoji here*
• The Alienist: Season 2 will air one week early on July 19th.
• Trailers for The Luminaries, The Baby-Sitter’s Club, and Hamilton.

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Books & Authors in the News

• As you have probably realized by this point, the courts have refused to block publication of John Bolton’s memoir.
• Not surprisingly, Trump may be considering legal action against his niece, Mary Trump, who is publishing her own tell-all book.
• Author Carlos Ruiz Zafón has died at age 55.
• Bob, the cat from the nonfiction book A Street Cat Named Bob, has died.
• Demand for Ibram X. Kendi’s Antiracist Baby Board Book is so high that it’s getting released as a picture book as well.
• Elin Hilderbrand is the first author to venture back into in-store book promo events.

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Award News

• The National Book Critics Circle is down from 24 members to 9 members and pledges to begin “difficult internal work.”
• NBCC is also halting their 2020 award season.
• The shortlist for the Arthur C. Clarke Award is out.
• The winners of the Bisexual Book Awards have been announced.

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Pop Cultured

• Actor Ian Holm dies at 88.

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Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

• The Jefferson Davis House loses its literary landmark designation.
• Alaskan authorities have had enough of tourists trying to reach the abandoned bus from Into the Wild and needing to be rescued, so they’ve airlifted the bus out of the wilderness.

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On the Riot

• Librarians and the power of social media.
• How to host your dream convention.
• How to make a zine.

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Take a breath and take care of yourselves, folks. I’ll see you next week.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. What day is it?

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Black Lives Matter

• Reading is only a step on the path to anti-racism.
• The New York Times commissioned new poems by Claudia Rankine and Jericho Brown.
• Black Writers’ Guild calls for sweeping changes in UK publishing.
• Can #BlackoutBestsellerList be the reckoning the publishing industry needs?
• All five big publishers promise to make more room for Black authors and staff. What this will look like in practice remains to be seen.
• LA Times argues that paying editorial assistants more will help fix the racial diversity in book advances.
• 50 Black-owned independent bookstores you can support.
• The June GalleyChat from EarlyWord focused on Black authors, and also includes spreadsheets of diverse titles.
• Anti-racist reading lists from Books in the Media, Epic Reads (YA), and The Millions.
• Juneteenth reading lists from LitHub and USA Today.
• Books by Black authors everyone should read.
• Black writers are telling the essential stories of our time.
• 10 children’s books by burgeoning Black authors.
• 33 picture books featuring Black female protagonists.
• 10 books on history of racism in America.
• 15 books by #OwnVoices authors.
• 20 books to read if you want to get into Black SFF.
• 5 YA audiobooks that center Black lives.
• 29 YA books by Black authors.
• YA books by Black British authors.
• Audiobook listens for raising an anti-racist.

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Pride Month Resources

• Queer quarantine recommendations.
• 39 LGBTQ+ books to read with your kids.
• LGBTQ+ YA picks from BuzzFeed, Epic Reads, PopSugar, and Riveted Lit.
• 5 queer YA books about friendship. 
• Pride Month reads from Bustle and NYPL.
• A reading list for queer true crime.
• 13 indie queer genre comics.

Book Riot’s Pride Day Resources

• 8 LGBTQ+ fairy tales from 2020.
• 10 LGBTQIA+ fantasy and science fiction adventures.
• 12 recent queer audiobooks to put in your ears.
• 5 fun LGBTQ Pride Day comics and graphic novels.
• 8 asexual books.
• 4 queer poets.
• 11 queer photography books.
• 12 queer women’s history books.
• 9 informative books about Stonewall.
• 6 LGBTQ+ South Asian books.
• 41 rainbow books for Pride Month.

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Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• Despite staff concerns, Hachette UK has chosen to back J.K. Rowling in light of her recent transphobic comments.
• The publishing industry may never recover from #PublishingPaidMe.
• Publishing’s next battle? Ditching writers that don’t live up to publishers’ stated values.

New & Upcoming Titles

• Bob Woodward has a new book about the Trump administration coming out in September.
• Kazuo Ishiguro has a new book coming out in 2021.
• Diana Gabaldon announces she’s working on an Outlander prequel.
• June picks from Crime Reads and Salon.
• Summer picks from Poets & Writers, PopSugar, and USA Today.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• The Art of Her Deal: The Untold Story of Melania Trump – Mary Jordan (New York Times, NPR, Washington Post)
• Miss Iceland – Auður Ava Ólafsdóttir (NPR, Washington Post)
• Billion Dollar Burger: Inside Big Tech’s Race for the Future of Food – Chase Purdy (New York Times, NPR)
• A Burning – Megha Majumdar (Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

• Why more children’s books are tackling sexual harassment and abuse.
• The history of vampires in YA fiction.

On the Riot

• A brief guide to grimdark fantasy.

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All Things Comics

• Free Comic Book Day will be extended this year due to the pandemic.
• Spotify signs a deal with Warner Brothers & DC for a bunch of all-new, exclusive, scripted podcasts.
• There’s going to be a 10-part comic adaptation of Stephen King and Owen King’s book Sleeping Beauties.
• 5 comics to read this June.
• 12 new & forthcoming graphic novels.

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Audiophilia

• Mary Robinette Kowal shows how books get narrated.
• 21 audiobooks to put on your radar this summer. 
• Audio picks for June.

On the Riot

• 5 audiobooks narrated by a full cast.

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Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• 10 YA books about summer love.

Adults

• Thriller picks from Cosmopolitan and O: Oprah Magazine.
• 13 best books about road trips.
• 6 gift-worthy memoirs about and for dads.
• 10 novels about overlooked moments from the past.

On the Riot

• 14 read-aloud books for preschoolers.
• Great books for 7th graders.
• 12 of the best books for Father’s Day (includes picture books).
• 4 apocalyptically good books similar to The Last of Us.
• 5 books by neurodiverse authors.
• 4 time travel books about lost time.
• 6 long books to help you continue to pass the time during quarantine.
• Adult interracial romances.

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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.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Another week in the books – I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy the weekend.

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Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

• The Internet Archive has shuttered the National Emergency Library, in response to a publisher lawsuit.
• ABC News puts a spotlight on libraries’ responses to COVID-19.
• YALSA’s 2020 YA Services Symposium will be held virtually.
• The ALA Book Award Celebration will be held on YouTube on June 28th.
• Publishers Weekly is launching a newsletter for teachers and school librarians.
• The Eckhart Public Library (IN) faces controversy after removing a Pride Month display.
• Louisiana State University is renaming its library, which was originally named after a former school president who advocated for segregation.

Cool Library Updates

• How the Nashville Public Library shifted their summer activities online.
• Kids and teens can get free eye exams and glasses at Gwinnett libraries in Georgia.
• Summer reading assignments delivered by library drones!
• Kansas City area libraries are working to get anti-racist books in the hands of readers.
• The National Library of Israel will digitize 2500 rare Islamic manuscripts.

Worth Reading

• Prioritizing staff mental health when figuring out reopening plans.
• Security experts on how to reopen libraries safely.
• Many libraries are having to figure out their reopening plans on their own.
• Can libraries be reinvented in the COVID age?
• Libraries are dealing with a new demand for books and services during the pandemic.
• How to tackle library signage in a pandemic.

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Book Adaptations in the News

• Gabrielle Union’s production company options the memoir All Boys Aren’t Blue by George M. Johnson for TV.
• Hulu is adapting The Other Typist by Suzanne Rindell, with Kiera Knightley starring and executive producing.
• Jessica Chastain options Alice Feeney’s His and Hers for TV.
• Horrorstor by Grady Hendrix and Devolution by Max Brooks are getting film adaptations.
• NBC cancels its Lincoln Rhyme series.
• Here’s the trailer for You Should Have Left, which is based on the novella by Daniel Kehlmann.

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Books & Authors in the News

• Book Riot has announced that in light of J.K. Rowling’s transphobic statements, we will no longer be covering her or any of her products or series.
• The Trump administration sues to block the publication of John Bolton’s forthcoming book.
• Harlem mystery author Grace Edwards has died at age 87.
• Kristen Bell faces criticism over her upcoming picture book The World Needs More Purple People.

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Numbers & Trends

• For the first time ever (seriously??), two Black British women top both both the fiction and nonfiction charts in the UK: Bernardine Evaristo’s Girl, Woman, Other and Reni Eddo-Lodge’s Why I’m No Longer Talking to White People About Race.
• This Black bookstore owner is selling out of books for the first time in 30 years.

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Award News

• More than half of the National Book Critic’s Circle members have resigned following the publication of an internal email written by one of its members, who disagreed with certain statements made by the board in support of the Black Lives Matter movement.
• The Oscars have been postponed until April 25, 2021. Other award ceremonies are likely to shift as well.
• English PEN Translate Awards were announced.

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Pop Cultured

• The opening date for the new James Bond movie No Time To Die is set for November 20th.
• Wonder Woman: 1984 and Godilla vs. Kong have been postponed again.

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Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

• Merriam-Webster officially moves to update its definition of racism.

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On the Riot

• 8 picture books written by librarians.
• How to find adult summer reading challenges in 2020.
• How to organize your bookshelves.

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Take a breath and take care of yourselves. And if you have pets at home, give them as many snuggles as they’ll allow. (Spoken by the owner of a sick kitty.)

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. My library begins its first week of curbside services today, so keep your fingers crossed and spare a few extra good thoughts for my coworkers and me!

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Black Lives Matter Resources

• “Publishers want more Black authors, so why have they silenced us for so long?”
• Do the soaring sales of anti-racism books signal a true cultural shift?
• The limitations of an anti-racist reading list.
• Your bookshelf may be part of the problem.
• Books, films, and podcasts to start learning about racism (Entertainment Weekly, NPR, PBS)
• Children’s and YA anti-racist reading lists (Essence, Publishers Weekly).
• Fiction anti-racist reading list. (The Millions, Publishers Weekly)
• Graphic novel anti-racist reading list.
• Poetry anti-racist reading list.
• A criticism of the Poetry Foundation’s statement on Black Lives Matter.
• Reading lists to understand police brutality. (Chicago Review of Books, Vox)
• 10 nonfiction books to explain why we need to defund the police.
• A conversation about YA lit, police brutality, and the nuances of Black storytelling.
• 7 anti-racist books recommended by educators and activists.
• 9 books about the world-changing power of protest.
• Resistance reading 101.
• 20 books about Black Lives Matter and civil rights.
• 5 books about race on college campuses.
• 9 essential Angela Davis books.
• 16 books about Black history.
• 9 books by Black authors that might not be on your radar yet.
• Lists of upcoming books by Black authors. (Electric Lit, EpicReads, O: Oprah Magazine, Parade, Vogue)
• 20 books to read if you want to get into Black SFF.
• 34 YA books by Black authors with love and other worlds.

Pride Resources

• 8 queer books in translation
• 9 queer YA comics
• 10 comics to celebrate Pride
• 20 must-read happy queer books for Pride.
• Essential LGBTQ+ books to read for Pride Month
• Poetry collections about being a queer person of color
• 16 Canadian books to read for Pride Month
• Fantasy novels by LGBTQ creators

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Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• Over 1000 publishing workers strike to protest industry racism.
• After coming under fire for her response to suspected looting in the area, Dawn Frederick of Red Sofa Literary Agency has threatened a lawsuit against two former agents and an author who have accused her of racism.
• Here’s a BuzzFeed explainer on the #PublishingPaidMe movement on Twitter.

New & Upcoming Titles

• There’s a new Star Wars anthology coming out called The Empire Strikes Back: A Certain Point of View, that retells events from Episode V from 40 different background characters.
• Zadie Smith is releasing an essay collection about the lockdown, out on July 28th.
• June picks from Bitch Media, BookPage (mystery & suspense), The Millions (poetry), and Tor.com (genre-bending fiction).
• 10 story collections you may have missed in May.
• Summer reading picks from Amazon & Kirkus.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• You Exist Too Much – Zaina Arafat (NPR, Washington Post)
• Devolution: A Firsthand Account of the Rainier Sasquatch Massacre – Max Brooks (Washington Post)
• The Jane Austen Society – Natalie Jenner (Washington Post)
• Broken People – Sam Lansky (New York Times)
• Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days That Changed the World – Chris Wallace & Mitch Weiss (Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

• If you don’t have time to reread the Hunger Games series before reading The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, here’s a primer.

On the Riot

• 5 upcoming reads from indie presses
• 11 authors like David Baldacci

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All Things Comics

• The Black Caucus of the American Library Association and the American Library Association Graphic Novels and Comics Round Table are collaborating on new Black Lives Matter comics.
• The co-creator of Punisher is using the skull symbol to support Black Lives Matter and to take it away from white supremacists.
• Trailer for Season 2 of Doom Patrol

On the Riot

• Short standalone graphic novels

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Audiophilia

• Jeff Daniels is narrating Jim Carrey’s upcoming audiobook.
• Check out Libro.fm’s summer listening challenge!
• Audiobook recs from Black bookstagrammers
• 10 spy book series on audio for espionage lovers
• 7 historical fiction audiobooks for kids and teens

On the Riot

• 6 of the best audiobooks by queer black authors.
• Listening pathway for Julia Whelan.

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Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• 20 picture books that celebrate fatherhood
• 20 Canadian books for kids and teens to read for National Indigenous History Month.
• 20 YA books with multiple narrators
• 23 YA books with flowers on the cover (Fun digital display idea, perhaps?)

Adults

• 7 thrillers about identity and re-invention
• Books to read when you’re at low energy
• The best books for every type of dad

On the Riot

• 6 of the best baby sign language books for parents
• 20 of the best Kindle books for kids
• Best books for 4th graders and 5th graders
• 12 summertime cookbooks for kids
• 9 funny cat books
• 9 feel-good road trip books
• 9 British mystery series you won’t want to put down
• 5 South Asian novels that deserve more attention
• 6 readalikes for Normal People
• 15 paranormal mystery books

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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.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone. Black Lives Matter.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The Luminous Dead by Caitlin Starling.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Please note that this newsletter mentions both the LJ Library of the Year controversy and JKR’s transphobic remarks, both of which have made for a really crappy start to Pride Month for a lot of people. I wish I had better news to report on.

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Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

• There was a lot of controversy around Library Journal selecting the Seattle Public Library as its Library of the Year, particularly around the anti-trans programming that the SPL allowed to happen inside its building. This is LJ’s statement explaining why they stand behind their choice for the SPL as Library of the Year, followed by the editor-in-chief’s letter responding to the backlash and promising to do better…except they still stand behind the award.
• ALA releases its survey about the effects of the pandemic on library services.
• The Authors Guild has asked Congress to provide $2 billion in COVID financial relief to libraries.

Worth Reading

• School libraries and antiracism.
• Prioritizing staff mental health while reopening.
• What’s lost in a furlough?
• Public librarians reflect on whether or not to stock Narcan.
• Camel. Library. I want a camel library!

Book Adaptations in the News

• The Hate U Give is now streaming for free on all platforms.
• New trailer for Lovecraft Country.

Books & Authors in the News

• Ibram X. Kendi has been hired by Boston University to lead the BU Center for Antiracist Research.
• I’m not going to link to any of J.K. Rowling’s transphobic tweets or web essays, but I will link to Daniel Radcliffe’s response.

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Numbers & Trends

• The Amazon best-sellers list is dominated almost entirely by books on race.
• Nordic noir may be the next big trend on TV.

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Award News

• The Desmond Elliott Prize has shortlisted three black debut authors.
• The International Booker Prize’s new announcement date is August 26th.
• CWA Dagger Award longlists have been released.
• The Shirley Jackson Award and Anthony Award shortlists have been announced.
• Oyinkan Braithwaite’s amazing debut My Sister, the Serial Killer has been nominated for the Theakston Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year Prize.

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Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

• The Seattle Times announces a summer reading bingo card for kids that you can download from their website.
• A Frankenstein museum has been approved for the city of Bath in the UK.

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On the Riot

• Best summer reading programs for kids & teens in 2020.
• What makes a good summer reading program?
• Authors, austerity, and the UK’s Save Our Library’s campaign.
• How to read Kindle books on a PC or Mac.
• A more in-depth look at the move from the RITAs to the Vivian.
• What happens to our brains when we read?

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Fingers crossed for everyone starting curbside services next week (including me!) Let’s hope next week is better than this one.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. This newsletter is bursting at the seams with anti-racist reading lists, queer pride lists, and upcoming June release lists, so get your ordering carts ready.

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Anti-Racism Reading Lists & Resources

• An anti-racist starter kit, including books, TV shows, movies, TED talks, and more.
• What is an anti-racism reading list for?
• General anti-racism reading lists from Amazon, Apartment Therapy, Bustle, The Cut, Esquire, The Guardian, Library Journal, Lifehacker, The Millions, New York Times, New York Magazine, Nylon, Publishers Weekly (nonfiction, poetry), and Town & Country.
• Audiobook anti-racism picks.
• Anti-racism reading lists for all ages from Booklist Reader and USA Today.
• Children’s books to teach about racism. (Buzzfeed, Essence)
• 100+ diverse children’s books. 
• Anti-racism book lists for kids and teens. (The Guardian, Town & Country)
• 17 YA books to teach teens to become better allies. 
• Reading requirements for every white person (Bustle, Pop Sugar)
• Other books that Black booksellers and publishers say you should read.
• 10 nonfiction books about why we need to defund the police.
• How to become a better ally.
• Books about race in Britain.
• Anti-racism graphic novels.
• Books about Black feminism. 
• 100+ books by Black women.
• Fiction by contemporary Black authors about navigating white supremacy.
• 5 books about Black movements and systemic racism.
• Essential movies from black filmmakers that confront systemic racism.
• Readings on racism, white supremacy, and police violence.
• National Museum of African American History & Culture presents resources for talking about race.
• Social justice resources for the book business, plus reasons why it’s time for the book business to change. 
• Black-owned bookstores to support (Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly)

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Pride Month Reading Lists

• LGBTQ reads for Pride Month. 
• The best YA picks for Pride Month.
• 101 unapologetically queer authors share the books that changed their lives.
• Queer literary classics. 
• 8 stories by LGBTQ women from around the world.
• LGBTQ-authored cookbooks.
• 5 queer romance series that center found families.
• Must-read LGBTQ+ memoirs.
• 31 queer books with happy endings.

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Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• The #PublishingPaidMe hashtag goes viral as authors compare advances they earned for their books.
• Three agents resign from the Red Sofa Literary Agency after its owner called Minneapolis police on potential looters.
• We Need Diverse Books steps up to help the kidlit community.
• Authors take publishing’s diversity issues into their own hands.
• Inclusive independent UK publishers Knights Of and Jacaranda have seen a drastic uptick in donations since the murder of George Floyd.
• Publishers are starting to announce they will not attend the Frankfurt Book Fair.
• BookExpo & BookCon saw strong numbers for their online panels, and will likely include digital options for future conferences.

New & Upcoming Titles

• With all of the postponed publication dates, fall is jam-packed with new releases. The NYT reports on why this could be a problem.
• Rachel Howzell Hall has a new crime novel coming out!
• Michael Punke, author of The Revenant, has a new fiction title coming out in 2021 – the first in almost 20 years.
• 20 new books by Asian American authors to read right now.
• 17 new books by Black YA authors.
• 60 queer and feminist books coming your way in summer 2020.
• Must-read books for June from Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Bustle, CrimeReads (crime novels & psychological thrillers), Entertainment Weekly, io9, LitHub, The Millions, Pop Sugar, Shondaland, Tor.com (fantasy, science fiction, YA SFF), and Washington Post.
• Summer reading picks from Bustle, Buzzfeed, New York Times, Parade, and Pop Sugar.
• Best books of 2020 so far.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett (Entertainment Weekly, NPR, Washington Post)
• A Burning – Megha Majumdar (Entertainment Weekly, New York Times, USA Today)
• Our Time Is Now: Power, Purpose, and the Fight For a Fair America – Stacey Abrams (New York Times, Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

• You can view the Adult and Middle Grade Buzz sessions from BookExpo.
• The Library Journal Day of Dialog is archived for viewing.

On the Riot

• Why publishing needs to pay attention to the nuances within the LGBTQ+ acronym.
• How publishers determine when to release hardcover books in paperback.
• 45 upcoming books by Black authors you can order right now.
• 14 queer books for the summer.
• June 2020 YA releases to TBR.

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All Things Comics

• We’ve got the 2020 Eisner Award nominees.

On the Riot

• 18 of the best manhwa you can read. (Unfamiliar with manhwa? Here’s a primer.)

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Audiophilia

• AudioFile names their 2020 Golden Voices.
• A look at the explosion in the audiobook industry.
• As the audiobook market grows, narrators of color find their voice.

On the Riot

• The audio version of Stamped From the Beginning by Ibram X. Kendi is available for free on Spotify.
• 6 of the best audiobooks by women for Caribbean Heritage Month.
• 15 compelling historical fiction audiobooks.

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Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• Books for kids to inspire diversity and change.

Adults

• June is National Indigenous History Month in Canada – here’s a list of 35 recommended titles.
• 9 Meghan Markle-approved books.
• Black-authored cookbooks.
• Top 10 Scottish crime novels.
• 7 true stories about seeking asylum in the US.
• 7 books about confinement and the need to escape.

On the Riot

• 15 middle school books with happy endings.
• 13 hard-hitting YA novels to read ASAP.
• 21 books with happy endings.
• 15 of the best Korean War books ever published.

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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.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone. Black Lives Matter.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. Let’s all take some time to figure out how we’re going to use our libraries and our resources to push back against systemic racism.

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Libraries & Librarians

News Updates

• The Black Caucus of the American Library Association made this statement in response to the murder of George Floyd. And here’s an expanding list of other libraries and library organizations that have made statements as well.
• Hennepin County is working on getting an estimate for the damage done to its libraries during the protests.
• All branches of the Chicago Public Library will open on June 8th.
• Publishers have charged the Internet Archive with copyright infringement.
• New Zealand libraries get a $60 million funding boost to protect library jobs in the wake of COVID-19.

Cool Library Updates

• This library created eReading rooms for their patrons, complete with reading materials selected by library employees. This is really cool!

Worth Reading

• A look at how different libraries are tackling their reopening plans.
• Science-based reopening plans for libraries in plain English.
• Addressing eContent issues in times of crisis.
• Tips for recording digital book talks.
• Visiting the Galapagos’ traveling libraries.

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Book Adaptations in the News

• Just Mercy will be available for free streaming on all digital platforms through the month of June.
• Manny Jacinto joins the cast of Nine Perfect Strangers.
• Before I Fall will be available on Netflix beginning June 8th.
• New Line acquires rights to Sarah Knight’s best-selling The Life-Changing Magic of Not Giving a F*ck. What this particular adaptation will look like is still unknown, but I’m definitely intrigued!
• Amazon puts itself into the mix after CBS dropped the upcoming Lincoln Lawyer series.

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Books & Authors in the News

• Kwame Alexander, Jason Reynolds, and Jacqueline Woodson have organized a Kid Lit Rally for Black Lives.

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Numbers & Trends

• The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes sold more than 500,000 copies in its first week, and that’s including the fact that most libraries and bookstores are either closed or only offering limited services right now.
• However, anti-racism books have been outselling even The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes in recent days.

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Award News

• The winners for the Lambda Literary Awards, Nebula Awards, Horn Book Awards, and the Best Translated Book Awards have all been announced.
• The finalists for the 2020 Locus Awards have been announced.
• Bryan Washington, author of Lot, wins the £30,000 Swansea University Dylan Thomas Prize.

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Pop Cultured

• Looks like we’re getting a sequel to Labyrinth.

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Bookish Curiosities & Miscellaneous

• How bookstores are showing support for the ongoing protests.
• The Royal Shakespeare Company postpones/cancels all planned 2020 performances.
• A prayer book inscribed by Mary, Queen of Scots is expected to sell for up to $434,000.
• 6 steps to becoming a better reader.
• How to recover from reader’s block.
• Top 5 books for properly packing books in a move. (Hint: USE SMALL BOXES!!)

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On the Riot

• Website-building resources for school librarians.
• How to responsibly recycle eReaders.

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Stay safe this weekend, everyone.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter.

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. I can’t start the newsletter without acknowledging the protests that are happening right now around the world in response to the murder of George Floyd. It seems wrong to jump into a collection development newsletter when the world is burning, but please take this as an opportunity to consider your library’s collections and what your library will do to stand for what’s right. This is not the time to stay silent or “neutral.”

I also found a few posts from the Book Riot archives that may be useful:

• 35 Must-Read Books About Racism
• So You Want to Be Woke: A Reading Guide for White People
• 8 Nonfiction Reads About Social Justice
• Why Public Libraries Should Support Black Lives Matter (this is mine from a few years ago)
• A Millennial Book List For Black Liberation

Now, on with the newsletter.

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Collection Development Corner

Publishing News

• How the protests against police brutality are affecting bookstores in the Twin Cities.
• The National Book Festival will be going digital this year.
• Will China’s entry into US publishing lead to censorship?
• A NYC bookstore owner says that artificially high rent costs could mean the end for lots of city bookstores.

New & Upcoming Titles

• Francine Pascal (creator of the Sweet Valley High series) talks about her new adult thriller, Little Crew of Butchers.
• Sophie Kinsella announces a new book out October 27, Love Your Life.
• Robyn Carr announces a new Virgin River novel, the first in eight years.
• Debut crime novels for May 2020.
• 13 books to watch for in June.
• Upcoming summer picks from Barnes & Noble, Book Page (YA), LitHub, People, Time, and Vulture.
• Most anticipated crime novels of 2020: summer reading edition.
• 60 queer and feminist books coming this summer.
• 14 books by black authors to add to your summer reading list.
• 17 summer fantasy novels to preorder now.

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

• The Vanishing Half – Brit Bennett (LA Times, New York Times)
• All My Mother’s Lovers – Ilana Masad (USA Today, Washington Post)

RA/Genre Resources

• If you didn’t get a chance to attend the BookExpo Online session on “Reader’s Advisory After Coronavirus”, here’s a summary. And here’s the link to the archived Facebook Live video from the session.
• The enduring popularity of traditional mysteries.
• A round table discussion on diversity in crime fiction.

On the Riot

• Exploring the thriller genre post–Gone Girl.

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All Things Comics

• What quarantine innovations can tell us about the future of comics.
• Stormy Daniels (remember her?) is teaming up with TidalWave Productions for a Space Force comic series.
• Gorillaz is publishing a 120 page illustrated Gorillaz Almanac that collects artwork from the band’s 20+ year career.

On the Riot

• 50 best manga to read right now.
• 15 of the best comic books for kids.
• 5 more comics representing 5 more emotions.

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Audiophilia

• 100 absorbing YA audiobooks that adults will enjoy too.
• Mystery & suspense audiobooks for kids and teens.
• 5 audio romances with unexpected revelations.

On the Riot

• 10 audiobooks under 10 hours.
• 6 fun and happy audiobooks.
• How to download Audible books to your Apple Watch.

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Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

• 10 books about friendship for tween readers.
• Motivational YA books that will have you ready to take on the world.
• 9 YA books about love at first sight.

Adults

• 13 books packed with queer joy.
• 15 books to help you better understand and support your LGBTQIA+ kid.
• 9 books about the burden of female beauty standards.
• An anti-racist reading list.
• 25 books by Asian-American and Pacific Islander writers to read right now.

On the Riot

• 10 baby shower books you probably haven’t gifted yet.
• 5 children’s books about Latina trailblazers.
• Standalone YA fantasy novels.
• 25 of the top true crime titles on Goodreads.
• 8 North Korean defector and captivity stories.
• 9 books for those of us missing libraries and bookstores.
• 10 horror books that are great for book clubs.
• Pick up a new hobby with these crafty books.

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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.

Stay safe and stay well, everyone. Black Lives Matter.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently reading The First Prehistoric Serial Killer: and Other Stories by Teresa Solana.