Most Anticipated Releases of 2024

Most Anticipated Releases of 2024

There are SO many great books coming out in 2024! The following are just a few of Huron County Library staff’s most anticipated upcoming titles across a variety of genres and reading levels.

A staff-created list with even more recommendations can be found on our online catalogue.

Book cover image of Closer Together

Non-fiction: Closer Together by Sophie Grégoire Trudeau

Sophie Grégoire Trudeau invites readers on a deeply personal journey toward self-knowledge, acceptance, and empowerment, drawing on the expertise of top psychologists, psychiatrists, scientists, and thought leaders. Release: April 23

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Book cover image of Expiration Dates

Fiction: Expiration Dates by Rebecca Serle

Told with her signature warmth and insight into matters of the heart, Rebecca Serle’s newest book is a gripping, emotional, passionate, and (yes) heartbreaking novel about what it means to be single, what it means to find love, and ultimately how we define each of them for ourselves. Release: March 5

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Historical Fiction: The Secret Keeper by Genevieve Graham

From bestselling Canadian author Genevieve Graham comes a gripping World War II novel about two sisters who join the war effort—one as a codebreaker and the other as a pilot—and the secrets that threaten to tear them apart. Perfect for fans of The Rose Code and The Nightingale. Release: April 2

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Romance: This Summer Will Be Different by Carley Fortune

A nostalgic, moving second chance love story set on Prince Edward Island that is sure to be in everyone’s beach bag this summer! This is Carley Fortune at her best and one not to miss for romance lovers and fans of Emily Henry. Release: May 7

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Mystery: The Grey Wold by Louise Penny

The highly anticipated nineteenth book in the best-selling Chief Inspector Armand Gamache series. Plot details themselves are still a mystery! Release: Oct. 29

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Horror/Suspense: Murder Road by Simone St. James

A young couple find themselves haunted by a string of gruesome murders committed along an old deserted road in this terrifying new novel. Release: March 5

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Fantasy: Somewhere Beyond the Sea by TJ Klune

The hugely anticipated sequel to the bestselling, The House in the Cerulean Sea, is a story of resistance, lovingly told, about the daunting experience of fighting for the life you want to live and doing the work to keep it. Release: Sept. 10

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Science Fiction: Annie Bot by Sierra Greer

For fans of Never Let Me Go and My Dark Vanessa, a powerful, provocative novel about the relationship between a female robot and her human owner, exploring questions of intimacy, power, autonomy, and control. Release: March 19

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Young Adult: Ace and the Misfits by Eddie Kawooya

In his debut novel, Eddie Kawooya presents a fish-out-of-water story of immigration and the pains and joys of integration into a new and sometimes frightening environment. Arriving in Canada, Ace finds himself living in a basement apartment, having to integrate into a new community where he is the “African.” This book tackles self esteem and how it can be easily lost when one feels alone. At the core of this story is the isolation a child feels after his world is snatched from him, and the journey of self worth and self confidence he must undertake to rise above it. Release: Feb. 13

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Middle Grade Fiction: Tree. Table. Book. by Lois Lowry

Eleven-year-old Sophia endeavors to prevent her increasingly forgetful 88-year-old neighbour and best friend Sophie from entering assisted living, and in the process, uncovers unexpected stories of war, loss, and hope. From two-time Newbery medalist Lois Lowry comes this warm and resonant story of an unlikely friendship, which unfolds as a revelation on how we hold on to – and pass on – what matters most. Release: April 23

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Book cover image of There's No PLace Like Hope

Picture Book: There’s No Place Like Hope by Janet Lawler; Illustrated by Tamisha Anthony

This sweet, rhythmic picture book is a gentle yet powerful exploration of how hope makes us loving, courageous, and connected to one another. Release: Jan. 30

Place a hold online…

2023 Holiday Reading Guide

2023 Holiday Reading Guide

To celebrate the holidays this year, library staff have curated a list of new titles in our system sure to delight readers of all ages and foster lots of festive cheer. Even more of our recent favourites can be found on our online catalogue.

Feel-Good Hallmark Holiday Vibes 

Book cover image for Three Holidays and a Wedding<br />

Three Holidays and a Wedding by Uzma Jalaluddin and Marissa Stapley

As strangers and seatmates Maryam Aziz and Anna Gibson fly to Toronto over the holidays—Maryam to her sister’s impromptu wedding, and Anna to meet her boyfriend’s wealthy family for the first time—neither expect that severe turbulence will scare them into confessing their deepest hopes and fears to one another or that they will get snow stayed in the cutest little Canadian small town over Ramadan, Hanukkah and Christmas.

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Book cover image of It Happened One Christmas

It Happened One Christmas by Chantel Guertin

A charming and rollicking holiday rom-com about a big-city film director who must convince the dreamy, yet grumpy, mayor of a small Quebec town to give her the permit to shoot her Christmas movie in his idyllic hometown. Perfect for fans of Hallmark holiday movies.

Place a hold online…

 

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The Book Club Hotel by Sarah Morgan

A heartfelt exploration of change, the power of books to heal, and the enduring strength of female friendship. Three long-time friends reunite for the holidays for their annual girls’ book club vacation, landing at a picturesque Vermont inn that’s owned by a single mother and recent widow. Full of family secrets and lots of drama this delivers on all the feels.

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Hallmark After Dark Vibes

Book cover image for Christmas Presents

Christmas Presents by Lisa Unger

Coupling a picturesque, cozy setting with a deeply unsettling suspenseful plot, Christmas Presents is a chilling seasonal novella about a true crime podcaster who is determined to solve a cold case and the woman who’s trying to keep the past in the past.

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Book cover image of Murder Most Royal<br />

Murder Most Royal by S.J. Bennett

Agatha Christie meets The Crown in this much-anticipated third book of the ‘Her Majesty The Queen Investigates’ mystery series. It is December 2016 and when the Queen comes across a severed hand she is able to quickly identify the victim, finding the killer however, proves much more complicated. Perfect for fans of The Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman, Agatha Christie and M.C. Beaton’s Agatha Raisin.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Twelve Books of Christmas

The Twelve Books of Christmas by Kate Carlisle

In this 17th installment of the Bibliophile cozy mystery series, San Francisco book-restoration expert Brooklyn Wainwright and her hunky security-expert husband, Derek Stone, face a locked-room murder mystery during their holidays in Scotland. Asked to help solve the disappearance of twelve rare books, things get deadly fast when one of the other guests is poisoned and another is shot through the heart with an arrow.

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Young Adult Fiction

Book cover image of Sleepless in Dubai

Sleepless in Dubai by Sajni Patel

From the author of My Sister’s Big Fat Indian Wedding comes this hilarious, smart, and swoon-worthy rom-com about two teens traveling to Dubai for Diwali

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Juvenile Fiction

Book cover image of A Very Bad Holiday

Very Bad Holiday by Kate Howard

When Christmas is unexpectedly cancelled, thwarting their city-wide holiday heist, the Bad Guys must do the unthinkable: reignite the city’s holiday spirit by giving instead of taking.

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Picture Books

Book cover image of Peas on Earth

Peas on Earth written by Huw Lewis Jones; illustrated by Ben Sanders

In this bitingly refreshing picture book, Bad Apple faces his greatest challenge: festive cheer. It’s Christmas day and everyone is just so . . . jolly . Granny Smith has kick-started the caroling, and the Cheese family’s merriness is grating to say the least. But it’s the arrival of Pea and his extended family that really puts Bad Apple’s goodwill to the test. Sure to entertain the whole family, Peas on Earth serves up a refreshingly bitter counterbalance to sickly sweet Christmas books, without sacrificing its goodwill message.

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Book cover image of Santa's Gotta Go

Santa’s Gotta Go! written by Derrick Barnes; illustrated by Courtney Lovett

The number one thing on Monte and Mabel’s Christmas wish list is the chance to hang out with Santa Claus. So when his sleigh breaks down in their yard as he’s finishing up his last delivery, they couldn’t be more delighted–Santa’s gonna stay with them while he waits for spare parts to be delivered! It’s a dream come true . . . or is it? It turns out Santa doesn’t have a lot of experience being a houseguest, and likes to rock out late at night and swigs spaghetti sauce from the jar. But when he messes with Dad’s motorcycle and Mabel’s computer tablet, he’s gone a step too far and the whole family agrees–Santa’s gotta go! Readers will get a kick out of this hilarious holiday tale about being careful what you wish for.

Place a hold online…

Summer Beach Reads

Summer Beach Reads

Grab one of these new releases and soak up some sunshine outdoors. Whether it’s at the beach, cottage, boat or fun road trip – all these books are a guaranteed good time.

A staff-created list with even more of our recent recommendations can be found on our online catalogue.

Book cover image of Cassandra in Reverse<br />

General Fiction – Cassandra in Reverse by Holly Smale

This Resse Witherspoon Book Club pick is a moving family drama featuring an unforgettable autistic heroine who can time travel. A great read-alike for fans of The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion, Oona Out of Order by Margarita Montimore, and The Boys by Katie Hafner.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise

General Fiction – The Mostly True Story of Tanner and Louise by Colleen Oakley

A heartfelt summer road trip adventure featuring a not-to-be-underestimated elderly woman and an aimless young woman who—if they can outrun the mistakes of their past—might just have the greatest adventure of their lives.

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Book cover image of California Golden

Historical Fiction – California Golden by Melanie Benjamin

Two sisters navigate the turbulent, euphoric early days of California surf culture in this dazzling saga of ambition, sacrifice, and longing for a family they never had, from the New York Times bestselling author of The Aviator’s Wife.

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Book cover image of Silent Came the Monster

Historical Fiction – Silent Came the Monster by Amy Hill Hearth

A chilling historical fiction account of the real life 1916 shark attacks along the Jersey Shore. Perfect for Shark Week lovers and fans of authors like Erik Larson.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Seven Year Slip

Romance – The Seven-Year Slip written by Ashley Poston

An overworked book publicist with a perfectly planned future hits a snag when she falls in love with her temporary roommate…only to discover he lives seven years in the past, in this witty and wise new novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Dead Romantics.

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Book cover image of Meet Me at the Lake

Romance – Meet Me at the Lake by Carley Fortune

This follow up to last summer’s bestselling hit, Every Summer After, sees two former flames trying to reunite years after they first fell in love. Set in Muskoka’s cottage country and the perfect beach read.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Smile Beach Murder

Cozy Mystery – Smile Beach Murder by Alicia Bessette

The first book in an all-new cozy mystery series featuring Callie Padget, a former reporter turned bookshop clerk in the Outer Banks who is pulled into a deadly web of secrets when a mysterious fall at a lighthouse echoes a tragedy from her past. Don’t miss the sequel: Murder on Mustang Beach.

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Book cover image of The Melancholy of Summer

Young Adult Fiction – The Melancholy of Summer by Kalila Fuller

After her parents go on the run, a teenage girl placed in the care of a cousin she barely knows learns to trust and open up in The Melancholy of Summer, a lyrical YA contemporary coming-of-age story by Nigerian Canadian author Louisa Onomé.  ​

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Book cover image of Camp Sylvania

Middle Grade Fiction – Camp Sylvania by Julie Murphy

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author of Dumplin’ and Dear Sweet Pea comes a hilarious and spooky middle grade summer-camp story that takes a bite out of fat camp.

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Book cover image of Sari-Sari Summers

Picture Book – Sari-Sari Summers written and illustrated by Lynn Bontigao

In this love letter to the Philippines (and to grandmothers), a young girl comes up with a brilliantly delicious way to attract customers after a heat wave leaves her Lola’s store empty.

Place a hold online…

Mental Health Awareness Month

Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and staff have compiled a great list of recent reads that highlight ways to check in on your mental health or read about other people who are also struggling. Above all remember it’s okay to not be okay and there’s no shame in asking for help!

A staff-created list with even more of our recent recommendations can be found on our online catalogue.

Cover image of Radical Love

Memoir – Radical Love: Learning to Accept Yourself and Others by Zachary Levi

Radical Love combines witty, touching, and powerful commentary with relatable illustrations to help you on your own path toward mental wellness. With vulnerability and humor, Zac relates the valuable lessons and insights he’s learned so that you can rise from the ashes of trauma and pursue a meaningful life of gratitude.

Place a hold online…

 

Cover image of Tell Me What You Want

Non-Fiction – Tell Me What You Want by Charlotte Fox Weber

Written with warmth and compassion, full of dramatic, intimate, and moving personal stories, and based on careful research as well as firsthand observations. For fans of Maybe You Should Talk to Someone and Group, this inspiring and moving exploration of the twelve fundamental psychological needs we all share goes behind the closed doors of therapy to guide us in navigating our deepest longings.

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cover image of Generation Dread<br />

Non-Fiction – Generation Dread by Britt Wray

Climate and environment-related fears and anxieties are on the rise everywhere. As with any type of stress, eco-anxiety can lead to lead to burnout, avoidance, or a disturbance of daily functioning. In Generation Dread, the author seamlessly merges scientific knowledge with emotional insight to show how these intense feelings are a healthy response to the troubled state of the world.

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Cover image of Feelings: a story in seasons<br />

Graphic Novel/Memoir – Feelings: A Story in Seasons by Manjit Thapp

Articulating and validating the range of feelings we all experience, this is a book that allows us to feel connected and comforted by the experiences that make us human. Told over the course of a year, the author shares the ups and downs of her feelings across all four seasons, from the highs of spring and summer to the lows of winter.

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Cover image of Adelaide

Fiction – Adelaide by Genevieve Wheeler

With unflinching honesty and heart, this relatable debut from a fresh new voice explores grief and mental health while capturing the timeless nature of what it’s like to be young and in love—with your friends, with your city, and with a person who cannot, will not, love you back.

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Cover image of Forever is Now

Young Adult Novel-inVerse – Forever is Now by Mariama J. Lockington

A poignant and lyrical young adult novel-in-verse about a Black teen coming of age in an anxiety-inducing world that tackles teen activism, agoraphobia and the Black Lives Matter movement.

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Cover image of Chaos Theory

Young Adult Fiction – Chaos Theory by Nic Stone

A gripping romance about two BIPOC teens: a certified genius living with bipolar disorder and a politician’s son who is running from his alcoholism and grief. This is a gut punch of a novel about about living with grief, prioritizing mental health, and finding love amid the chaos.

Place a hold online… 

Cover image of Living with Viola<br />

Middle Grade Graphic Novel – Living with Viola by Rosena Fung

Forest of Reading nominated debut author, Rosena Fung draws on her own early experiences with anxiety and the pressures of growing up as the child of Chinese immigrant parents to craft a personal story that explores mental health, cultural differences, and the trials of middle school.

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Cover image of Iveliz Explains it All

Middle Grade Novel-in-Verse – Iveliz Explains it All by Andrea Beatriz Arango; illustrated by Alyssa Bermudez

A powerful and compassionate, novel-in-verse debut that navigates mental health, finding your voice, and discovering that those who really love you will stay by your side. The author does an excellent job exploring PTSD, grief, therapy, medication and suicidal ideation in a young child in this incredible #ownvoices story.

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Cover image of Dark Cloud

Picture Book – Dark Cloud by Anna Lazowski; illustrated by Penny Neville-Lee

In this sensitive picture book, symbolic imagery perfectly captures how depression can look and feel as a little girl visualizes her depression as a way of learning to cope. The lyrical text and expressive drawings provide young children with a way to understand and talk about their own feelings. The repetition in the text and the visual narrative pull readers in, making this an excellent read-aloud pick to spark discussions about feelings.

Place a hold online…

Autism Acceptance Month

Autism Acceptance Month

Check out these great books about and by neurodivergent authors or characters to help get a better understanding of the wide range of Autism experiences this April as we embrace the shift from Autism Awareness to Autism Acceptance.

“Many self-advocates for autism spectrum disorders view their neurology as a difference in thinking, not something that needs to be cured. Self-advocates ask for acceptance and support, not isolation. Like everyone, those with autism want acceptance for both their strengths and weaknesses.

Acceptance calls for society to meet children and adults with autism where they are and to make room for them. The word “acceptance” asks that we see autism not as a disease, but as a natural difference in neurology.

Acceptance of these differences is what leads to a happy life, not a cure. The Autism Society, a group of parents and doctors, has also called for the name change, citing that stigma against individuals with autism is often the biggest barrier to self-actualization.” – Quoted from the online article: Why April Is Autism Acceptance Month, Not Autism Awareness Month by K. M. Kovalcik, published March 14, 2023)

A staff-created list with even more of our recent favourites can on our online catalogue.

Book cover image of The Winter Knight

Fiction – The Winter Knight by Jes Batis

A propulsive urban fairy tale/detective story with queer, trans and neurodiverse heroes that asks what it means to be a myth, who gets to star in these tales, and ultimately, how we make our stories our own by a talented queer autistic Canadian writer and teacher.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Dyscalculia

Memoir – Dyscalculia by Camonghne Felix

A powerfully moving memoir about one woman’s lifelong struggle with mental health, depression and suicidal ideation. This book has great bipolar II representation and discusses the nuanced differences between ADHD and dyscalculia – a learning disorder that affects a person’s ability to understand numbers-based information and math.

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Book cover image of Unmasking Autism

Non-Fiction – Unmasking Autism by Devon Price

A deep dive into the spectrum of Autistic experience and the phenomenon of masked Autism, giving individuals the tools to safely uncover their true selves while broadening society’s narrow understanding of neurodiversity.

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Book Cover image of Little Victories

Memoir/Graphic Novel – Little Victories by Yvon Roy

A beautiful visual exploration of the highs and lows experienced by a parent learning how to adapt to his son’s autism. Faced with a challenging road ahead, the author uses creative flair and ingenuity in order to connect with his son, enabling him to reach his fullest potential and prepare him for the transition into adulthood.

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Book cover image of Your Therapist Says It's Magical Thinking

Poetry – Your Therapist Says It’s Magical Thinking  by Sadie McCarney

An #ownvoices collection of poetry from a queer, neurodivergent Canadian poet that explores the complexities of mental health advice and history in both critical and creative ways.

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Book cover image of Jude Saves the World

Middle Grade Fiction – Jude Saves the World by Ronnie Riley

A wonderfully queer positive middle grade novel from a debut Canadian author that sees twelve-year- old Jude managing their ADHD, figuring out how to come out as nonbinary at school and to unsupportive family members and also fighting to create the first Diversity Club at their school.

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Book cover image of ADHD is my Superpower

Picture Book – ADHD is my Superpower by Sam Bernstein

This own-voices children’s book introduces readers to some of the ways that ADHD can challenge people, and some of the ways in which it can be a superpower with the hope to open readers’ minds to the strengths of neurodiverse people who think and act differently.

Place a hold online… 

Cover image of Let Me Be Me

Film – Let Me Be Me

A documentary film about the Westphal family and their autistic son Kyle’s journey for acceptance and success as he grows up to become a fashion designer, forging connections with friends and family along the way.

Place a hold online…

Transgender Reading Recommendations

Transgender Reading Recommendations

International Transgender Day of Visibility is an annual event that occurs every March 31. It is a day to celebrate transgender (and nonbinary) people and raise awareness of the discrimination and challenges they face worldwide. Library staff have compiled this list of resources created by or featuring transgender and nonbinary people in an effort to help everyone learn more about their achievements and continued struggles. A full list with even more of our recent favourites can be found on our online catalogue.

Book cover image of Mad Honey

Fiction – Mad Honey by Jodi Picoult

Mad Honey is a riveting novel of suspense, an unforgettable love story, and a moving and powerful exploration of the secrets we keep and the risks we take in order to become our true authentic selves.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of The Story of Us

Fiction – The Story of Us by Catherine Hernandez

From the author of Canada Reads finalist Scarborough, comes a new novel beautifully narrated by the all-seeing eye of the protagonist’s newborn baby. The Story of Us follows the life of a Filipino migrant worker hired to look after an Alzheimer’s patient. It is about sisterhood, about blood and chosen family, and about how belonging can be found where we least expect it.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover mage of Light from Uncommon Stars

Fantasy/Sci Fi – Light from Uncommon Stars by Ryka Aoki

An adventure set in California’s San Gabriel Valley, with cursed violins, Faustian bargains, and queer alien courtship over fresh-made donuts.

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Cover image of the film Being Thunder

Film – Being Thunder

A documentary that follows the life of Sherente, a two spirit-genderqueer teenager from Rhode Island’s Narragansett tribe as they fight for the right to perform wearing traditional female dress in regional pow wow competition despite backlash from tribal elders and other community members.

Place a hold online…

 

Cover image of the film Framing Agnes

Film – Framing Agnes

A 2022 Canadian documentary film, directed by Chase Joynt. An examination of transgender histories, the film centres on Joynt and a cast of transgender actors re-enacting various case studies from Harold Garfinkel’s work with transgender clients at the University of California, Los Angeles.

Place a hold online…

 

Book cover image of Pageboy

Memoir – Pageboy by Elliot Page

A ground-breaking coming-of-age memoir from the Academy Award-nominated actor Elliot Page. A generation-defining actor and one of the most famous trans advocates of our time, Elliot will now be known as an uncommon literary talent, as he shares never-before-heard details and intimate interrogations on gender, love, mental health, relationships, and Hollywood.

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Book cover image of Beyond Pronouns

Non-Fiction – Beyond Pronouns by Tammy Plunkett

A practical guide for parents of transgender or nonbinary children, written by an author who has personal experience helping guide their own transgender child.

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Book cover image of Heavy Vinyl

Graphic Novel – Heavy Vinyl -Y2K-O! by Carly Usdin

This fun graphic novel series follows a group of queer activists living in the late 1990s who work at a Vinyl Record store during the day and play in a band at night.

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Book cover image of Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution

Young Adult Fiction – Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution by Kacen Callender

From the national award-winning author of Felix ever after, comes a new character-driven YA contemporary novel featuring a diverse cast of queer characters who tackle issues including activism, bullying, mental health, intersectional identities, polyamory and self-worth (among others).

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Book cover image of The One Who Loves You the Most

Middle Grade Fiction – The One Who Loves You the Most by Medina

A debut middle grade book about identity, body dysphoria, mental health and finding oneself and a community of belonging, told from the perspective of a 12-year-old non-binary biracial youth who is adopted by white parents.

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Book cover image of If You're a Kid Like Gavin

Picture Books – If You’re a Kid Like Gavin written by Gavin Grimm and Kyle Lukoff, illustrated by J Yang

A celebratory and empowering story from young trans activist Gavin Grimm, two-time Stonewall Award-winning and Newbery Honor-winning author Kyle Lukoff, and illustrator J Yang follows the true story of how a young boy stood up for himself–and made history along the way.

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