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Andrea's Favorite Books & Music of 2019
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With the Fire on High
by Elizabeth Acevedo
Teen Fiction - Navigating the challenges of finishing high school while caring for a daughter, talented cook Emoni Santiago struggles with a lack of time and money that complicate her dream of working in a professional kitchen. By the National Book Award-winning author of The Poet X.
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They Called Us Enemy
by George Takei
Memoir / Graphic Novel - The iconic actor and activist presents a graphic memoir detailing his experiences as a child prisoner in the Japanese-American internment camps of World War II, reflecting on the hard choices his family made in the face of legalized racism.
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Cuz I Love You / by Lizzo
Music - Channeling boundless self-confidence through a downright earth-quaking voice, colorful persona, and undeniable star power, Lizzo struts into the spotlight and steps up with a whole lot of sass, spirit, and soul. Embracing her vocal range like never before and celebrating herself to the fullest, she speaks her mind, censors nothing, and delivers an enviable level of honesty, pure passion, and fresh fire.
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Saturday
by Oge Mora
Picture Book - A follow-up to the Caldecott Honor-winning Thank You, Omu! finds a specially planned mother-and-daughter Saturday upended by a series of disappointments that end in the daughter comforting her mother by saying that being together was the most important thing.
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Stargazing
by Jen Wang
Graphic Novel - Chinese-American student Christine is devastated when her artistic best friend, Moon, falls dangerously ill amid revelations that she has been having visions about celestial beings telling her she does not really belong on Earth.
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Jojo Rabbit
Movie - A World War II satire that follows a lonely German boy named Jojo (Roman Griffin Davis) whose world view is turned upside down when he discovers his single mother (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a young Jewish girl (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. Aided only by his idiotic imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi), Jojo must confront his blind nationalism.
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Sabrina & Corina : stories
by Kali Fajardo-Anstine
Stories - Kali Fajardo-Anstine's magnetic story collection breathes life into her Latina characters of indigenous ancestry and the land they inhabit in the American West. Against the remarkable backdrop of Denver, Colorado--a place that is as fierce as it is exquisite--these women navigate the land the way they navigate their lives: with caution, grace, and quiet force.
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Under My Hijab
by Hena Khan
Picture Book - As a young girl observes that each of six women in her life wears her hijab and hair in a different way, she considers how to express her own style one day.
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The Girl Who Married a Skull : And Other African Stories
by Nicole Chartrand
Graphic Novel - Have you heard the one about the skull who borrowed body parts to pass himself off as a human so he could trick the village beauty into marriage? No? Well, what about when the daughters of Frog and Snake had a playdate? Okay, fine. But surely you've heard the story of the crocodiles who voted on whether or not to eat a man that had saved one of their lives? NO? Wow, have we got some stories for you!
In this vibrant comics treasury, some of storytelling's finest talents reimagine classic African folktales with a modern twist. Funny, warm, and wildly inventive, these timeless tales are brand new all over again. Featuring the work of JARRETT WILLIAMS, CARLA SPEED MCNEIL, CHRIS SCHWEIZER, FAITH ERIN HICKS, and many more!
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Pumpkinheads : a graphic novel
by Rainbow Rowell
Graphic Novel - Working at a pumpkin patch every autumn, two seasonal best friends organize ultimate Halloween plans to celebrate their last working year together. By the award-winning author of Fangirl and the Eisner Award-winning illustrator of the Nameless City trilogy.
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Hair Love : a celebration of daddies and daughters everywhere
by Matthew A Cherry
Picture Book - An ode to self-confidence and the love between fathers and daughters by the former NFL wide receiver depicts an exuberant little girl whose dad helps her arrange her curly, coiling, wild hair into styles that allow her to be her natural, beautiful self. Illustrated by the award-wining artist of Little Leaders.
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Kim Reaper 2: Vampire Island
by Sarah Graley
Graphic Novel - Reluctantly agreeing to participate in a group date excursion to Vampire Island when work interferes with her relationship with her girlfriend, college student Kim reconnects with a long-lost friend before finding herself enmeshed in a vampire feud.
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The Modern Witchcraft Book of Tarot : your complete guide to understanding the Tarot
by Skye Alexander
Nonfiction - Unlock the secrets of the cards! For hundreds of years, the tarot has been an essential tool used in witchcraft--from divining the future to aiding in spellcasting. As tools to aid a witch's natural clairvoyance, the tarot and witchcraft are entwined, with the cards and the craft sharing many symbols and roots in the elements. Learn how to interpret and connect with the cards. From reading spreads to using your deck during spellcasting, you will soon grasp the full power of the tarot.
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Syllabus : notes from an accidental professor
by Lynda Barry
Graphic Nonfiction - An award-winning author provides the creative lesson plans and innovative writing exercises she uses in her popular writing workshop aimed at non-writers, which focuses on the connection between the hand, the brain and spontaneous images.
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H.P. Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness
by Gou Tanabe
Graphic Novel - From adapter and illustrator Gou Tanabe, comes H.P Lovecraft's At the Mountains of Madness. This manga adaptation of some of Lovecraft's best stories is perfect for manga fans and Lovecraft fans alike. With art resembling more of a western comic book, this book lends itself well as a 'gateway' for those who are looking to get into manga!
January 25, 1931: an expedition team arrives at a campsite in Antarctica...to find its crew of men and sled dogs strewn and dead. Some are hideously mangled, as if in rage--some have been dissected in a curious and cold-blooded manner. Some are missing. But a still more horrific sight is the star-shaped mound of snow nearby...for under its five points is a grave--and what lies beneath is not human!
At the Mountains of Madness is a journey into the core of Lovecraft's mythos--the deep caverns and even deeper time of the inhospitable continent where the secret history of our planet is preserved--amidst the ruins of its first civilization, built by the alien Elder Things with the help of their bioengineered monstrosities, the shoggoths. Since it was first published in Astounding Stories during the classic pulp era, At the Mountains of Madness has influenced both horror and science fiction worldwide!
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Frankenstein : Junji Ito story collection
by Junji It
Junji Ito meets Mary Shelley! The master of horror manga bends all his skill into bringing the anguished and solitary monster--and the fouler beast who created him--to life with the brilliantly detailed chiaroscuro he is known for. Also included are six tales of Oshikiri--a high school student who lives in a decaying mansion connected to a haunted parallel world. Uncanny doppelgangers, unfortunately murdered friends, and a whole lot more are in store for him. Bonus: The Ito family dog! Thrill to the adventures of Non-non Ito, an adorable Maltese!
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Cannonball
by Kelsey Wroten
Graphic Novel - Caroline Bertram is an aspiring writer, queer artist, alcoholic, and self-proclaimed tortured genius struggling with growing up and finding artistic fulfillment.
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