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Diverse Voices JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2026 |
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The Band in Our Basementby Kelly J. Baptist, illustrated by Jenin MohammedDrawn to the sound of their father's band, two siblings sneak out of bed and wiggle and sway to the music. (Ages 3-6)
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Between You and Me by Rob Sanders, illustrated by Raissa FigueroaWhen a new kid moves to town, a beautiful friendship filled with wonder and imagination blooms. (Ages 3-6)
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Big Boy Joy
by Connie Schofield-Morrison, illustrated by Shamar Knight-Justice
This high-spirited text by Connie Schofield-Morrison paired with super sweet art by New York Times bestselling illustrator Shamar Knight-Justice is a joyful ode to play and boyhood, perfect for readers who loved The King of Kindergarten (Ages 0-3) .
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Every Monday Mabel
by Jashar Awan
From the creator of I'm Going to Build a Snowman comes a celebration of community helpers that captures the joy and wonder of being a kid, centering around precocious little girl Mabel, whose favorite day of the week is Monday for a surprising reason.(Ages 0-6).
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Fish Fry Friday
by Winsome Bingham, illustrated by C.G. Esperanza
A young African American girl joins her grandma's weekly ritual of catching and frying fish for a big family dinner. (Ages 3-9)
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The History of We by Nikkolas SmithA picture book about the origin and advancement of humans. The History of We takes what we know about modern human civilization and, through magnificent paintings, creates a tale about our shared beginnings in a way that centers Black people in humankind's origin story (Ages 3-9)
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Jordan's Perfect Haircut
by Sharee Miller
Jordan is hesitant about changing his hair for school picture day until he sees the joy a haircut can bring and finds just the right style for himself. (Ages 6-9)
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Pasta Pasta Lotsa Pasta by Aimee Lucido, illustrated by Mavisu DemirağA family dinner gets out of hand as guest after guest arrives with a different pasta request (Ages 3-9).
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Two Worlds (Dos Mundos): A First Picture Book of English and Spanish Words
by Edel Rodriguez
Drawing on his childhood experience immigrating from Cuba to the United States, internationally acclaimed artist Edel Rodriguez teaches both Spanish and English vocabulary and perspective--showing how the same thing can be experienced differently, depending on where you are-in this powerful bilingual concept book (Ages 0-3).
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Year Round
by Audrey Helen Weber
A year goes by as a class asks winter questions, feels spring feelings, makes summer wishes, and thinks fall thoughts (Ages 3-6)
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Dear Jackie by Jessixa Bagley, iillustrated by Aaron BagleyJackie and her friend Milo deal with all the pressures of everyday life as they enter middle school. To get a pushy clique off her back, Jackie writes herself an anonymous love letter. But her plan backfires, and soon Jackie’s secret admirer is all anybody at school can talk about. Now she’s wondering: Dear Jackie, how are you going to get out of this? (Ages 12-14)
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Nic Blake and the Remarkables: The Book of Anansi by Angie ThomasAll of Nic's dreams have come true. After years of living in hiding as a Remarkable in the Unremarkable world, she now has everything she'd ever wanted: certified hero status, a big family and a real home in the hidden city of Uhuru, and a chance to develop her Gift at a school for young Manifestors like her. So life is perfect, right? Not quite. The sequel to The Manifestor Prophecy. (Ages 9-12)
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Will's Race for Home by Jewell Parker RhodesBestselling and award-winning author Jewell Parker Rhodes goes West in this thrilling adventure story about a son and his father who set out to win land during the Oklahoma Land Rush-if they can survive the journey. (Ages 9-14)
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All Food Is Good Food
by Molli Jackson Ehlert, illustrated by Fanny Liem
All food is good food. Food fuels your day, nourishes your body, and excites your taste buds. Sweet or salty? Spicy or sour? Tried and true favorites or a food you've never tried before? There's room for all of it on your plate, and whatever makes you feel good is what's right for you. (Ages 6-9)
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A Change Is Gonna Come
by Sam Cooke, illustrated by Nikkolas Smith
An illustrated version of the civil rights anthem by Sam Cooke, with appearances from such icons as Gordon Parks and Muhammad Ali. (Ages 3-12)
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Lefty: A Story That Is Not All Right by Mo Willems, illustrated by Dan SantatDid you know, there was a time when people could get in trouble--really, really BIG trouble--for being LEFT-HANDED!? It's true! Lefty and Righty hand out the facts in a theatrical performance that spans the ages. Once upon a time, left was considered wrong . . . but now, left or right, it's all alright. (And there are scissors for everyone!) Created by the award-winning (right and left) hands of New York Times bestselling authors Mo Willems and Dan Santat, this book ensures that no one gets left behind! (Ages 3-9)
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All the Love Under the Vast Sky Edited by Kip Wilson Spanning twelve short stories in verse, this collection explores love's many facets and how it manifests in and shapes our lives.
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Big Jim and the White Boy: An American Classic Reimagined by David F. Walker, art by Marcus Kwame Anderson and Isabell StrubleBig Jim and the White Boy is a radical retelling of this American classic, centering on the experiences of Jim, an enslaved Black man in search of his kidnapped wife and children, along with his cheeky sidekick, Huckleberry Finn.
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Fireblooms
by Alexandra Villasante
Seventeen-year-old Sebastian moves to a town that uses technology to prevent hate speech and bullying, only to discover this flawed system is not without its dangers--
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Lunar New Year Love Story by Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen PhamGraphic novel superstars Gene Luen Yang and LeUyen Pham join forces in this heartwarming rom-com about fate, family, and falling in love.
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Meet Me at Blue Hour
by Sarah Suk
Seventeen-year-old Yena Bae is spending the summer in Busan, South Korea, working at her mom's memory erasing clinic, and runs into her best friend, Lucas, who moved away years earlier without a word and has erased her from his memories
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Pretty Girl County by Lakita WilsonReya and Sommer, former best friends from different socioeconomic worlds, reunite to help each other achieve their dreams, but as old wounds resurface and new challenges arise, they must navigate whether their friendship can be rebuilt.
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Up in Smoke
by Nick Brooks
Two DC teens, Cooper and Monique, investigate the murder of a protester at a Black Lives Matter rally while trying to clear the name of their friend Jason, who has been wrongfully accused.
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Interabled : True Stories about Love and Disability from Squirmy & Grubs and Other Interabled Couples
by Shane and Hannah Burcaw
Interabled follows the lives of several couples as they navigate their love story in an ableist world. Sometimes tear-jerking, sometimes funny, but always heartwarming, this moving collection comprised of interviews and short stories - with interludes from Shane and Hannah about their own dating, marriage, and IVF journey - will have readers laughing and sobbing as they discover true stories of love and commitment. With his signature wit and hilarious voice, author, blogger, and entrepreneur Shane Burcaw has put together an inspiring and true story collection of sweet, funny, and often miraculous love stories of different interabled couples.
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When night descends, el Carnaval de Bestias rises. They come chasing paradise. Within the shores of Isla Bestia, guests from around the world discover a utopia of ever-changing performances, sumptuous feasts and beautiful monsters. Many enter, but few ever leave--the wine is simply too sweet, the music too fine and the revelry endless. Sof̕ia, a freedwoman from a nearby colonized island, travels to el Carnaval de Bestias in search of her twin brother, who disappeared five years ago. As the nights pass, her mind begins unraveling, drowning in the unnatural, almost sentient thrall of Carnaval. To find her brother and break free, Sof̕ia must peel back the glamorous curtain and face those behind Carnaval, before she too loses herself to the island |
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Blob: A Love Story
by Maggie Su
The daughter of a Taiwanese father and white mother, Vi Liu has never quite fit into her Midwestern college town -- aimless after getting dumped by her boyfriend and dropping out of college. Outside a bar, Vi discovers a strange blob--a small living creature with beady black eyes. In a moment of concern and drunken desperation, she takes it home. But the blob is no ordinary pet. Becoming increasingly sentient, it begins to grow, shift shape, and obey Vi's commands. As the entity continues to change, Vi is struck with a daring idea: she'll mold the creature into her ideal partner. When Vi's desire to be loved unconditionally threatens to spiral out of control, she is forced to confront her lonely childhood, her aloof ex-boyfriend, and the racial marginalization that has defined her relationships -- a journey of self-discovery that teaches her it's impossible to control those you love. Blending the familiar with the surreal, Blob is a witty, heartfelt story about the search for love and self and what it means to be human.
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Harriet Tubman: Live in Concert : a Novel by Bob the Drag QueenIn an age where the greatest heroes from history have magically returned to help save the world, Harriet Tubman returns to create a hip-hop album with a fallen producer, forging powerful music that inspires a divided nation.
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It Had to Be Him
by Adib Khorram
After a public humiliation, Ramin books a spontaneous sabbatical to Italy. There, he runs into his high school crush, Noah, who is there with his ex-wife and their son Soon Ramin and Noah are tumbling headfirst into a relationship. Only Ramin fears that Noah's feelings are temporary-and Noah's not sure he can be the supportive partner Ramin deserves. With the days counting down to the end of their trip, can their love last without the magic of Italy?
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There are organizations for people who grieve, for alcoholics and other kinds of addicts. But if you've been devastated by the love of your life walking out on you, where the hell do you go? In this modern fable with the impish magic of A Midsummer Night's Dream, a masked ball makes two upper-class British couples see each other in a new light. A wise, enchanting novel about love, power, and our many selves- past and future, public and private- from the Booker Prize-winning author. |
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Things Left Unsaid by Sara JafariA dazzling, electrifying, and thought-provoking novel for readers of Maame and Honey Girl, Things Left Unsaid is a mesmerizing and deeply-felt exploration of discovering your place in the world and the lasting power of love. There's nothing worse than losing the person you trust most with your deepest secrets and desires, and Shirin and Kian are determined to hold tightly to each other. But of course, life often has other plans. Will it be different this time around, or are Shirin and Kian destined to fall apart once more?
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Beyond the Shores: A History of African Americans Abroad
by Tamara J. Walker
Part historical exploration, part travel memoir, Beyond the Shores reveals poignant histories of a diverse group of African Americans who have left the United States over the course of the past century. Together, the interwoven stories highlight African Americans' complicated relationship to the United States and the world at large - not just about where African Americans stayed or where they ate when they traveled but also about why they left in the first place and how they were treated once they reached their destinations. By sharing the accounts of those who escaped the racism of the United States to try their hands at life abroad, Beyond the Shores shines a light on the meaning of home and the search for a better life.
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A boisterous, darkly funny, and sobering march through Black militant history by political cartoonist Ben Passmore. From Robert Charles's shootout with the police in 1900, to the Black Power movement in the 1960s, to the Los Angeles and George Floyd uprisings, readers will tumble through more than a century of armed resistance against the racist state alongside Ben--and meet firsthand the mothers and fathers of the movement, whose stories were as tragic as they were heroic. |
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Come by Here: A Memoir in Essays from Georgia's Geechee Coast
by Neesha Powell-Ingabire
This powerful debut memoir chips away at coastal Georgia's facade of beaches and golden marshes to recover undertold Black history alongside personal and family stories.In May of 2020, Neesha Powell-Ingabire's hometown became infamous after a viral video spread of white vigilantes killing a Black man named Ahmaud Arbery. A millennial journalist, essayist, and organizer, she grew up in Brunswick feeling alienated as a Black queer and disabled girl in a fraught racial and political environment. Come By Here: A Memoir in Essays from Georgia's Geechee Coast traces the genealogy of systemic racial violence while paying homage to the area's long history of Black resistance and culture keeping.
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The Far Edges of the Known World: Life Beyond the Borders of Ancient Civilization
by Owen Rees
When Ovid was exiled from Rome to a border town on the Black Sea, he despaired at his bleak and barbarous new surroundings. Like many Greeks and Romans, Ovid thought the outer reaches of his world was where civilization ceased to exist. Our own fascination with the Greek and Roman world has for centuries followed this perspective, shrouding cultures at the far reaches of their influence in myth. But what was it like to live on the edges of these empires, on the boundaries of the known world? Ancient historian Owen Rees draws on archaeological excavations to reveal these so-called borders as thriving multicultural spaces, where the boundaries of civilized and barbarian began to dissipate; where traditional rules didn't always apply; where different cultures intermarried; and where nomadic tribes built their own cities. The Far Edges of the Known World offers us a vibrant new lens to see and understand the ancient world.
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The Grandfather of Black Basketball: The Life and Times of Dr. E. B. Henderson by Edwin Bancroft Henderson, IIEdwin Bancroft Henderson II provides unprecedented detail and fascinating insight into his grandfather, Dr. Edwin Bancroft Henderson. The son of working-class parents born in slavery, Henderson attended Harvard University and recognized athletics--and basketball, especially--as a public health initiative and a way that young Blacks could gain college scholarships and debunk the idea of racial inferiority. He introduced basketball to Black people on a wide-scale, organized basis, and founded associations to train and organize Black officials and referees. He was instrumental in founding the first rural branch of the NAACP, advocated for school desegregation, and held executive board positions with multiple NAACP branches. Overlooked for decades, Henderson was finally enshrined in the National Basketball Hall of Fame in 2013 as a contributor. The Grandfather of Black Basketball gives long-overdue recognition to a sports pioneer, civil rights activist, author, educator, and pragmatic humanitarian who fought his entire life to improve opportunities for youth through athletics.
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Vegan Mob: Vegan BBQ and Soul Food
by Toriano Gordon, with Korsha Wilson, pictures by Ed Anderson
Discover more than 80 recipes for mouthwatering plant-based fast food from the cult favorite Oakland BBQ joint Vegan Mob.
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Who I Always Was: A Memoir
by Theresa Okokon
When Theresa Okokon was nine, her father traveled to his hometown in Nigeria to attend his mother's funeral...and never returned. His mysterious death shattered Theresa as her family's world unraveled. Now a storyteller and television cohost, Okokon sets out to explore the ripple effects of that profound loss and the way heartache shapes our sense of self and of the world -- for the rest of our lives. Okokon delves deeply into intrinsic themes of Blackness, African spirituality, family, abandonment, belonging, and the seemingly endless, unrequited romantic pursuits of a Black woman who came of age as a Black girl in Wisconsin suburbs where she was--in many ways--always an anomaly.
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Prince George's County Memorial Library System
9601 Capital Lane
Largo, Maryland 20774
301-699-3500www.pgcmls.info/ |
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