The Urge: Our History of Addiction
by Carl Erik Fisher
Addictive behaviors are nothing new and authors have long written about their consequences. What has changed is their interpretation, by the medical field, social reformers and those with addictions themselves. Writing both as an addiction psychiatrist and as someone who has dealt with addiction himself, Fisher explores how different generations have tried to understand and treat addiction. Fisher discusses the racial and socio-economic prejudices that continue to color these perspectives, the blaming of moral failings on the sufferers, or the view of addiction as a biological and medical issue alone. His personal struggles and path to recovery make the book an even more compelling read.
The Vanishing Half
by Brit Bennett
In The Vanishing Half, readers take a deep dive into the lives of twins Desiree and Stella. Born in small-town Louisiana, Desiree dreams of nothing but escape and finally drags Stella with her to New Orleans. In the Big Easy, their normally intertwined paths diverge. Stella goes on to live her life passing as a white woman, while Desiree embraces her blackness and marries a darker-skinned man. We follow the twins and their daughters through the twists and turns of their separate journeys, waiting to see if their paths will once again collide. A truly immersive tale of relationships and race, The Vanishing Half is the perfect exploration of identity and family.
Vacationland
by Meg Mitchell Moore
Louisa is back at her parent’s house in Maine with all three of her kids, a barely written book and a lot of resentment. Louisa is hoping that her time in Penobscot Bay will lessen her frustrations about her current life and help her reframe her work and life choices. Kristie has taken a bus from Pennsylvania, also in search of a new beginning in Maine. She is short on cash, has a past she’s trying to escape and a new life she’s trying to create. As the summer wears on, both Louisa and Kristie will have to come to terms with past secrets and betrayals.
Kindergarten: Where Kindness Matters Every Day
by Vera Ahiyya
Leo isn’t sure he is ready to start kindergarten, especially when his teacher asks each student to share one way to be kind. Through Leo’s first week, learn about all the ways we show kindness in this sweet book about beginning school, that is great for both students and the adults who love them.
Society of Substitutes: The Great Escape
by Alan Katz
What would you do if you found out your classroom pet ferret is actually an evil villain plotting world domination and that your mother is a part of a secret substitute teacher society trying to stop him? That’s what Milton Worthy learns in this laugh-out-loud series great for readers just getting introduced to chapter books. Follow Milton and his classmates through their action-packed and often very silly adventures to save the world!
The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell
by Jordan Sonnenblick
Jordan seems to have the rottenest luck – he has a teacher who gives him an F for his show and tell presentation, his bullies smash his lunch box, and there’s that incident with the swing set he doesn’t like to mention. Based on the author’s real school experiences, The Boy Who Failed Show and Tell is filled with humor and heartwarming moments and will leave students saying, “Hey, he’s just like me!”
Bookmarks submitted by the Upper Arlington Public Library.
