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The Kids Are All Right

New Children’s Book Releases for November 17

Hey Readers! I’m back with another week of new children’s book releases.

I Am the Wind by Michael Karg and Sophie Diao

Go on a trip around the world with the wind in this cute picture book that encourages the celebration of the world, blowing with the wind across various locations and viewing all the wonders the world has to offer.

Llama Llama Loose Tooth Drama by Anna Dewdney

New LLama LLama! New Llama Llama! (I love Llama Llama.) This new installment has our titular llama anxiously waiting for his loose tooth to fall out, and it’s adorable.

Sylvia and Marsha Start A Revolution by Joy Ellison and Teshika Silver

This picture book introduces little ones to Sylvia Rivera and Marsha P. Johnson, the two trans women who kickstarted the Stonewall Riots and left a permanent mark on the fight for LGBT rights in the United States.

Song of the Old City by Anna Pellicioli and Merve Atilgan

This picture book is set in Istanbul, following a little girl on her journey through the beautiful city. It’s lyrical, whimsical, and beautifully illustrated, with a heartwarming tale of community and kindness.

Super Sidekicks: No Adults Allowed by Gavin Aung Than

For superhero fans, this fun graphic novel follows a group of sidekicks who get sick of doing all the grunge work for their grownup superhero partners and decide to set out on their own. But they have to prove themselves to their superhero partners first, and they get just the chance when their new friend is kidnapped.

Red Stars by Davide Morosinotto and Simone Tso, translated by Denise Muir

Translated from Italian, this historical mystery is told via diary entries, photos and maps. It picks up where Hitler’s Germany invades the Soviet Union, pushing children onto trains that will hopefully carry them to safety. Twins Nadya and Viktor are separated and embark on a journey to find one another.

Keeper of the Lost Cities: Unlocked by Shannon Messenger

This latest installment in the Keeper of the Lost Cities series is both a continuation and a guide for super fans! This book picks up right where Legacy left off and includes a guide featuring new details of the world and characters, plus full-color illustrations, themed recipes, and a bonus map.

Exploring the Elements: A Complete Guide to the Periodic Table by Isabel Thomas and Sara Gillingham

If you’re looking for something more artistically satisfying but still educational (gift giving season is upon us after all!), this guide might be just the thing for you. This colorful introduction to the periodic table is great for curious kids and it manages to be both accessible and comprehensive.


Until next week! – Chelsea (@Chelseabigbang)

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Check Your Shelf

Winter Reading Lists For All Tastes

Welcome to Check Your Shelf. We’ve hit the time of year where I become a permanently lethargic couch slug. Of course, it doesn’t help that I’m working from home 80% of the time, have very little to hold my interest at the moment, and it gets dark outside almost as soon as it gets light, but still…I could have done with a little energy boost this weekend.

I did, however, get a couple of adorable photos of my baby boys and their booplesnoots. (Don’t argue with me, spellcheck. That’s absolutely a word.)


Collection Development Corner

New & Upcoming Titles

Jonathan Franzen announces the first book in a new trilogy, which will be published in October 2021.

New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman will be writing a book about Donald Trump, to be published in early 2022.

A look at some of the forthcoming books related to the Trump administration.

Senator Tammy Duckworth’s memoir, Every Day is a Gift, will be published at the end of March.

Andrew McCarthy will have a memoir about his Brat Pack years coming out May 2021.

14 of the year’s best mysteries and thrillers.

10 new books from celebrities for your holiday reading list.

21 new books to buy from your local indie bookseller.

Books of the week from Booklist, BuzzFeed, Crime Reads, Locus (SFF), New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today.

November picks from Amazon (bio/memoirs, mysteries), Bitch Media (feminist reads), BookPage (mysteries, SFF), Crime Reads, (psychological thrillers), and Tor.com (science fiction and fantasy).

28 YA books published this year to read before the year ends. Plus, 54 (!) YA SFF books that yes, actually, did come out this year.

Time’s 100 must-read books of 2020.

42 most-anticipated books of 2021. (I’ve added a bunch of these to my TBR.)

What Your Patrons Are Hearing About

The Office of Historical Corrections: A Novella and Stories – Danielle Evans (LA Times, USA Today)

The Arrest – Jonathan Lethem (New York Times, Washington Post)

The Kingdom – Jo Nesbo (New York Times, Washington Post)

A Promised Land – Barack Obama (New York Times, NPR)

No One Ever Asked Me About the Girls: Women, Music and Fame – Lisa Robinson (USA Today, Washington Post)

We Keep the Dead Close: A Murder at Harvard and a Half Century of Silence – Becky Cooper (NPR)

RA/Genre Resources

A brief history of presidential memoirs.

On the Riot

Indie releases to keep an eye on in November.

2020 new releases in translation you may have missed.


All Things Comics

Emerald City Comic Con and Chicago Comic & Entertainment Expo have been rescheduled to December 2021.

New comics to check out in November.

5 graphic novels you don’t want to miss.

On the Riot

Classic comics for a winter’s night.

Winter-themed manga to curl up with.

10 manga like The Gamer to read after catching up with the series.


Audiophilia

Blue Ivy Carter (daughter of Beyoncé and Jay-Z) narrates the audio version of Hair Love.

November audiobooks to keep your eye on.

5 humorous audiobooks to keep you giggling.

5 sports romance audiobooks.

On the Riot

Have you heard about Chirp? Does it change the audiobook game, and more importantly, is it right for you?

6 of the best audiobooks for Nonfiction November.


Book Lists, Book Lists, Book Lists

Children/Teens

26 beautiful children’s books about the most impactful LGBTQ+ icons.

15 children’s and YA books that celebrate Native American Heritage Month.

Adults

15 romantic novels that feature characters with disabilities.

Here’s a new subgenre…tropical cozy crime novels.

8 books about feminist folklore.

5 SFF books about star-crossed lovers.

On the Riot

12 snowy picture books.

10 of the best books for 10th graders.

YA books about veterans.

12 YA thrillers for any time of the year.

9 great books about teens with supernatural abilities.

10 books about foster care for adults and kids.

10 lesbian erotica titles for your bookshelf.

10 romance novels with infectious enthusiasm.

8 books about serial killers that will chill you to the bone.

5 winter mysteries cozier than a cup of tea.

9 magical winter fantasy books.

Winter hibernation cookbooks to make you drool.

10 chilling books to read this winter.

10 holiday romance novels to read this year.

9 excellent books set in very cold places.

9 must-read nonfiction books about wine and spirits.

5 books about online harassment.

5 powerful books about domestic abuse.

6 international horror novels you need to read ASAP.


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.

Wash your hands, and get a flu shot. I’ll see you all on Friday.

—Katie McLain Horner, @kt_librarylady on Twitter. Currently gushing about The Return by Rachel Harrison. (OMG SO CREEPY!!)

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Swords and Spaceships

Swords and Spaceships for November 17

Happy Tuesday, shipmates! It’s Alex, with some shiny new releases and a few news items for you on this lovely day. I had a rough patch with reading over the last few weeks (gee, I wonder why I couldn’t focus on anything, it’s a mystery) but I just finished reading Burning Roses by S.L. Huang and I want to tell you it’s a beautiful little story about family and forgiveness. Hope you’ve got a good book at hand right now. Stay safe out there, space pirates, and I’ll see you on Friday!

A couple happy things for today:

I cannot stop watching this explanation video about Gritty made by an an American for confused French people.

Also, I hope this knowledge will help someone out there: King Arthur Flour has recipes on how to downsize pies for small holiday celebrations.

Looking for non-book things you can do to help in the quest for justice? blacklivesmatter.card.co and The Okra Project.


New Releases

Nophek Gloss by Essa Hansen

When Caiden’s home planet is destroyed, all he has left is a single-minded quest for revenge. Picked up by a crew of alien misfits who fly on a ship that might well be alive–and might contain its own universe–he pursues the slavers that took away everything he loved. His best chance for vengeance is to infiltrate his enemies and destroy them from the inside.

The Bright and Breaking Sea by Chloe Neill

Kit Brightling is a foundling who has worked hard to rise in the ranks of the Crown Command and become one of the few female captains. Her magical affinity with the sea gives her small ship speed and maneuverability beyond its specifications. But when she’s sent on a special mission with Rian Grant, someone she has every reason to distrust, she must learn to set aside her suspicions if they’re to succeed at rescuing a spy and saving their country.

The Burning God by R.F. Kuang

Left for dead by her so-called allies after saving Nikan from invaders and defeating an evil empress, Fang Runin still isn’t ready to give up. She returns to her roots in the southern provinces, and while the leadership of that coalition is untrustworthy, the millions of commoners echo her thirst for vengeance. She will use every weapon to defeat the new Dragon Republic and the colonizers, but will she be able to resist the Phoenix’s urge to burn everything?

Rhythm of War by Brandon Sanderson

The fourth book of the Stormlight Archive saga continues the brutal war of the human resistence against the invasion, with technological discoveries by Navani Kholin’s scholars promising to change the face of battle even as the enemy prepares its own deadly operation. The conflict becomes an arms race set to challenge the heart of the Radiant ideals–and perhaps reveal secrets better left buried.

Eartheater by Dolores Reyes, translated by Julia Sanches

In an unnamed slum in Argentina, a young woman is compelled to eat earth, and the consumption of it gives her visions of lost and broken lives. At first she keeps these visions to herself, but after befriending a withdrawn police office, word of her ability spreads and soon desperate people are searching her out, trying to find news of their lost loved ones.

These Violent Delights by Chloe Gong

In 1920s Shanghai, the streets run red with blood, drawn in a feud between two rival gangs. Juliette Cai, a former flapper who is now heir to the Scarlet, faces off against her first love who betrayed her, Roma Montagov of the White Flowers. But their bitter enmity must be set aside after rumors of a monster in the shadows causing death and madness reach their ears.

News and Views

Lil Nas X has released his Holiday single and the video is as delightfully sci-fi as one could hope.

Check out the Kickstarter for It Gets Even Better: Stories of Queer Possibility for an upcoming anthology of positive, queer SFF.

J Michael Straczynski has announced that, 47 years later, Harlan Ellison’s The Last Dangerous Visions anthology will be published in Spring 2021.

A long read by Geoff Allshorn about “queer science fictions and our place as creatores, audiences, and participants”: From Queer to Eternity

There’s a book of Star Trek-themed cocktails coming out, and a Wonder Woman cookbook? Sure, why not.

Ernest Cline is making noises about a prequel for Ready Player One, and Ready Player Two is going to be out soon.

November 12 was the 40th annivesary of Voyager 1’s closest approach to Saturn.

And November 11 was the 50th anniversary of Oregon blowing up a dead sperm whale with 20 cases of dynamite. Here is the remastered video of the… incident.

On Book Riot

Mary Wollstonecraft or Mary Shelley? How to tell the difference.

This week’s SFF Yeah! podcast is about genre books that aren’t what they seem.

This month you can win a YA Fantasy and Sci-Fi book bundle and/or a $250 dollar Barnes and Noble gift card.


See you, space pirates. If you’d like to know more about my secret plans to dominate the seas and skies, you can catch me over at my personal site.

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The Goods

Book Marks 11/16

You love books. You love a list. You’re going to love Book Riot’s original reading journal. Order your copy today!

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Kissing Books

Are You Ready for MODERN AUSTEN?

Happy Monday, folks! I finished Crash Landing On You, and I gotta tell you, if you have the mental capacity to read subtitles (or happen to speak Korean), K-Dramas are the way to go. I have to do some digging to find out which ones don’t have an HEA, but CLOY was basically exactly what I’ve been looking for in a series: spending a long time investing in characters and their HEA, and getting that without the other aspects of the show getting in the way. No last minute cliffhanger pulling the central couple together so they can go another season or two. No will-they-won’t-they dragging on for years. Just a lot of Feelings. It’s perfect for a romance reader. 

Okay, let’s get into the romance reader thing. 

News and Useful Links

The auction isn’t open yet, but the items available for bid are up on the Romancing the Runoff site. Donations include annotated books by authors like Diana Biller, Alyssa Cole, and Mia Hopkins; a cameo in a book, hangouts with authors, gift baskets, and autographed books—including a copy of The Duke & I signed by Julia Quinn and a couple of the stars of Bridgerton.  Look out, folks. Things are about to get heated. 

(And if you haven’t seen it, this is a heck of a thread of videos from Georgia authors.) 

And an article about Stacey Abrams that also talks about RTR. 

The CW is bringing us Modern Austen, and I gotta say, I’m intrigued. That network seems to be better at making shows with monsters than they are human drama, but we’ll see!

We’re also getting a series adaptation of The Wrath and the Dawn.

Also, if you want a deeper look into Bridgerton, here’s a great article about it (with more pictures *fans self*).

This is an amazing longread.

If you’re a fan of the Nymphs & Trojans books, you can now get merch

And if you’re excited about the release of How to Catch A Queen, check out the release party with Alyssa and Meg Cabot!  

Romance Class webseries!

Finally, vote for your favorite HEA with The Swoon Awards! (A new project by some awesome Romancelandia folks!)

Deals

Family Man by Heidi Cullinan and Marie Sexton

I am by no means Italian nor do I claim knowledge about what it’s like to be part of a big Italian family, but I loved the crap out of this book. It’s an age-gap romance featuring an older man still discovering his identity and a younger one who helps him with that. And of course, the aforementioned big Italian family. I mean, it’s soooooper white, but it’s precious. It’s 1.99 right now, so you gotta tell me if it still stands up (since it’s been a while since I read it)!

Recs!

We’re getting into holiday reading territory! I don’t read a million holiday books every year, but I do enjoy picking up a few when I get the chance, especially if they’re not your run-of-the-mill cold hands, warm heart Christmas self-discovery romance. Here are a few I’m looking forward to picking up this year. (Yeah, they’re mostly Christmas. Sorry.)

Sweet on You by Carla de Guzman

Bakery rivals fall in love around Christmastime in the Phillipines! When a new fancy baker from Manila comes into town, trying to lure away her customers, cafe owner Sari goes to war—prank war, that is! 

A Timeless Christmas by Alexis Stanton

(Now a Hallmark Movie!) You know I love a good time travel romance, and this one gives it a holiday spin! A tour guide at a historic mansion is in for a shock when the famed historic owner of said historic mansion shows up in modern times. Obviously, he has to go back, but how? 

The Captain’s Midwinter Bride by Liana de la Rosa

This historical features an estranged married couple who have to get to know each other when he returns home from service and the pair must prepare for their daughter’s Christmas marriage. Yep, this is a couple old enough to have a daughter getting married. When does that happen, especially in a historical?

Being Merry by Meka James (November 27)

Even if I had no idea what this book was about, I would be all about a Meka James Christmas story. Her stories are fun and sexy. And this one sounds like the grumpy/sunshine wlw story of my dreams, with a woman full of holiday cheer in need of a home and the Grinch who grudgingly takes her in. 

Her Pretend Christmas Date by Jackie Lau

Another Jackie Lau Christmas book! Another Jackie Lau fake dating Christmas book! And look at that cover; he’s so grumpy, I’m so excited. 

All They Want for Christmas by Andie J. Christopher 

Three people. One snowstorm. Lots of Feelings. I’m so ready.

(This book was previously published in the Reindeer Games anthology, so check your kindle to see if you have that already–I’m speaking from experience.)

Miracles and Menorahs by Stacey Agdern

This is a new romance centering Hannukah and two people who love it. While Sarah, who has been put in charge of coordinating the town festival celebration is excited to go big or go home, Isaac is more interested in the idea of celebrating quietly with family and food. But when Sarah comes into his life because of his metal sculptures, their chemistry (and her enthusiasm) might help change his mind. 

Every New Year by Katrina Jackson

Katrina Jackson published two New Years books last year, and I took the easy road with Grand Theft NYE, a quick, fun romance about a thief and the man who let her get away. This one is a super slow burn between two people who take much longer to figure their stuff out. I’m ready.

This Time Next Year by Sophie Cousens

Minnie and Quinn were born at the same time in the same hospital, but Quinn was the one to get the special prize for being born first. And of course, Minnie has resented that for years. But when they meet later as adults, and keep running into each other, maybe there’s something there. 


What holiday romances are you reading this year?

As usual, catch me on Twitter @jessisreading or Instagram @jess_is_reading, or send me an email at wheninromance@bookriot.com if you’ve got feedback, bookrecs, or just want to say hi!

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What's Up in YA

Native and Indigenous YA Nonfiction For Your TBR

Hey YA Readers!

As we journey through this month highlighting nonfiction for young readers, it would be a tremendous oversight not to talk about Native and Indigenous nonfiction, as November is also Native American Heritage Month.

You may remember back in October, I had the honor of talking with a wide range of outstanding Native and Indigenous writers who discussed the past, present, and future of their voices in children’s and young adult literature. The bulk of the books highlighted there were fiction, but Native and Indigenous voices and stories are also important to explore in nonfiction. Let’s take a look at a few you can grab now and some for you to preorder for future reading.

Descriptions for these come from ‘zon because I’ve only read one myself (which I’ll talk about a bit after the description). But you better believe they’re all on my to-read.

Apple: Skin to the Core by Eric Gansworth

How about a book that makes you barge into your boss’s office to read a page of poetry from? That you dream of? That every movie, song, book, moment that follows continues to evoke in some way?

The term “Apple” is a slur in Native communities across the country. It’s for someone supposedly “red on the outside, white on the inside.”

Eric Gansworth is telling his story in Apple (Skin to the Core). The story of his family, of Onondaga among Tuscaroras, of Native folks everywhere. From the horrible legacy of the government boarding schools, to a boy watching his siblings leave and return and leave again, to a young man fighting to be an artist who balances multiple worlds.

Eric shatters that slur and reclaims it in verse and prose and imagery that truly lives up to the word heartbreaking.

Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask by Anton Treuer (April 6)

Note: this description comes from the publisher’s catalog and it doesn’t yet appear to be available for preorder outside the linked audiobook edition.

From the acclaimed Ojibwe author and professor Anton Treuer comes an essential book of questions and answers for Native and non-Native young readers alike. Ranging from “Why is there such a fuss about nonnative people wearing Indian costumes for Halloween?” to “Why is it called a ‘traditional Indian fry bread taco’?” to “What’s it like for natives who don’t look native?” to “Why are Indians so often imagined rather than understood?”, and beyond, 

An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the United States for Young People by Jean Mendoza, Debbie Reese, and Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz 

Going beyond the story of America as a country “discovered” by a few brave men in the “New World,” Indigenous human rights advocate Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz reveals the roles that settler colonialism and policies of American Indian genocide played in forming our national identity.

The original academic text is fully adapted by renowned curriculum experts Debbie Reese and Jean Mendoza, for middle-grade and young adult readers to include discussion topics, archival images, original maps, recommendations for further reading, and other materials to encourage students, teachers, and general readers to think critically about their own place in history.

#NotYourPrincess: Voices of Native American Women edited by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

Whether looking back to a troubled past or welcoming a hopeful future, the powerful voices of Indigenous women across North America resound in this book. In the same style as the best-selling Dreaming in Indian#Not Your Princess presents an eclectic collection of poems, essays, interviews, and art that combine to express the experience of being a Native woman. Stories of abuse, humiliation, and stereotyping are countered by the voices of passionate women making themselves heard and demanding change. Sometimes angry, often reflective, but always strong, the women in this book will give teen readers insight into the lives of women who, for so long, have been virtually invisible. 

This book is absolutely beautiful and powerful, showcasing Native teen voices, art, and creativity. It’s a shorter one, so you can read it quickly, but it’s really one to sit and savor!

Urban Tribes: Native Americans in the City by Lisa Charleyboy and Mary Beth Leatherdale

Young, urban Natives powerfully show how their culture and values can survive—and enrich—city life. Urban Tribes offers unique insight into this growing and often misperceived group. Emotionally potent and visually arresting, the anthology profiles young urban Natives from across North America, exploring how they connect with Native culture and values in their contemporary lives. Their stories are as diverse as they are. From a young Dene woman pursuing a MBA at Stanford to a Pima photographer in Phoenix to a Mohawk actress in New York, these urban Natives share their unique perspectives to bridge the divide between their past and their future, their cultural home, and their adopted cities. Unflinchingly honest and deeply moving, contributors explore a wide-range of topics. From the trials and tribulations of dating in the city to the alienating experience of leaving a remote reserve to attend high school in the city, from the mainstream success of Electric Pow wow music to the humiliation of dealing with racist school mascots, personal perspectives illuminate larger political issues. An innovative and highly visual design offers a dynamic, reading experience.


Hope you found some excellent new books!

See you later this week.

— Kelly Jensen, @heykellyjensen on Instagram and editor of Body Talk(Don’t) Call Me Crazy, and Here We Are.

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Read This Book

Read This Book: BECOMING by Michelle Obama

Welcome to Read This Book, the newsletter where I recommend a book you should add to your TBR, STAT! I stan variety in all things, and my book recommendations will be no exception. These must-read books will span genres and age groups. There will be new releases, oldie but goldies from the backlist, and the classics you may have missed in high school. Oh my! If you’re ready to diversify your books, then LEGGO!!

Former President Barack Obama’s highly-anticipated memoir is slated for release tomorrow. It is the first installment of a two-part volume spanning Obama’s political career from the beginning through his first presidential term. A Promised Land is sure to be on top of the bestseller lists for weeks following an historic presidential election where America elected the first Black woman to be the 46th Vice-President and Obama’s second in command, Joe Biden, is now the President-Elect. While I expect nothing short of an excellent read from President Obama’s A Promised Land. Today, I am recommending the other Obama’s must-read memoir. 

Becoming Book Cover

Becoming by Michelle Obama

Michelle Obama has emerged as one of the most compelling women of our era. As the first Black woman to serve as First Lady of the United States of America, Michelle Obama helped create the most welcoming and inclusive White House in history, established herself as a powerful advocate for women and girls around the world, encouraged her fellow Americans to embrace healthier and more active lifestyles, and raised two daughters under the unforgiving glare of the media. 

In her first memoir, Michelle Obama invites readers into the world that shaped her. Becoming chronicles Mrs. Obama’s life from her childhood in the South Side of Chicago to the years she balanced motherhood and a demanding executive job to her time residing at the world’s most famous address with everything in between. 

I am not one for reading memoirs and biographies, but I couldn’t wait to read the words of America’s first Black First Lady. Yes, after all of these years, it is mind-blowing we are still celebrating firsts. I’m happy to say Becoming was engaging from beginning to end. For me, Michelle Obama was the best First Lady and Becoming helped solidify that opinion. Reading Becoming inspired me to cultivate my strengths and strive to reach my fullest potential. Anyone who reads her memoir will certainly feel the same. 

Becoming made me laugh out loud and even shed a few tears. Whether you’re a Michelle Obama Stan or a hater, there is something in this memoir for you. It will either make you appreciate Mrs. Obama’s grace and optimism, or it will entice you to devour every piece of content she creates. Either way, you’re welcome. 

Until next time bookish friends,

Katisha


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Today In Books

Today in Books

‘Modern Austen’ Anthology Series Reimagining Of Jane Austen’s Novels In Works At The CW

Thanks to the success of the adaptation of Emma earlier this year, Jane Austen adaptations are in vogue again. The CW is aiming to adapt the series, but with a modern twist. In this anthology series, each season retells a different novel set in modern day San Francisco, beginning with Pride & Prejudice. Here’s hoping it’s great!

New Franzen Novel Set For October 2021

Jonathan Franzen, author of The Corrections, Freedom, and Purity, will publish a new novel next October. It will be called Crossroads, and it’s the first book in a trilogy called A Key to All Mythologies. It will tell the story of three generations of a family from Vietnam to the 2020’s.

5 Books Temporarily Removed From Reading List For Burbank Schools Amid Outcry From Parents

Five books have been temporarily removed from a required reading list in a Burbank, CA school after a racist incident. The books are To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee, Adventures of Huckleberry Finn by Mark Twain, Of Mice and Men by John Steinbeck, The Cay by Theodore Taylor, and Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry by Mildred D. Taylor. The books are still readily available in the school district, but many parents are questioning why these five are on the required reading list and are asking the list be updated.