This year, the library features many new titles available to students. Construction in the past has limited the number of new books that could be ordered, but with new shelf space, librarian Jessica Castille has stocked up on new titles interesting to students. Some new and exciting books you can check out at the library include:
Down Came the Rain by Jennifer Mathieu
If you grew up in the Houston area, you remember Hurricane Harvey from 2017. Down Came the Rain is a novel about Hurricane Harvey and its impact. Eliza’s home was destroyed in the storm, and she is forced to move schools, like the Kingwood High School students who shared a campus with Summer Creek. At her new high school, Eliza gets involved in environmental activism, despite her father’s job in big oil, and meets Javi. They connect over their shared experiences of natural disasters. Based on an event many of us experienced, Down Came the Rain explores themes of mental health, climate crisis and activism, classism and love.
The Do-Over by Lynn Painter
Many of us remember New York Times best-selling author Lynn Painter from her popular novel Better Than the Movies, and this new novel keeps to the same genre: an adorable, heart-melting romance. After watching her boyfriend Josh cheat on her on Valentine’s Day, Emilie becomes stuck in a time loop, forced to endure the terrible holiday over and over again. Every time, no matter how she tries to change the outcome of the day, she runs into Nick. Nick forgets the previous day’s events every time the day restarts, but Emilie remembers each version of the holiday. The Do-Over is perfect for readers looking for a sweet romance that may or may not cause some second-hand embarrassment.
Give Me A Sign by Anna Sortino
Author Anna Sortino’s goal with this novel and her newest novel, On the Bright Side, is to increase diverse representation in the media by writing about disabled characters. In Give Me A Sign, Lila is tired of not feeling normal enough but also not deaf enough to identify with either, so when she has the chance to be a counselor at a summer camp for the blind and deaf, she eagerly accepts. Her goal going in was to improve her ASL, but she ended up discovering a community in the campers, lifeguards and fellow counselors. Give Me A Sign dives into the complexity of deaf culture and identity in this coming-of-age, debut novel by Anna Sortino.
Stateless by Elizabeth Wein
Set in between WWI and WWII, Stateless by Elizabeth Wein is what you would get if murder mystery and historical fiction had a baby. Europe in 1937 was dangerous and contentious. In the midst of the world conflicts and tensions of the era, the “Circuit of nations Olympics of the Air” took place, intended to foster peaceful connections between the nations of the world. In reality, “peaceful” might not have been the best word. Young entrant Stella North discovered the other cut-throat contestants might be up to no good when one of the other pilots is rammed right out of the sky. When the evidence begins to point toward Stella as the culprit, she realizes she has to find the killer before she becomes their next victim. In Stateless, Elizabeth Wein delivers a thrilling murder mystery based on the true events of the pre-WWII era.
A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow by Laura Taylor Namey
If you’re looking for a book with romance but a good, solid plot and well-written characters, A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow might be for you. Lila Reyes adores her home in Miami, but after a series of losses in her life, her worried family sends a very reluctant Lila to stay with her aunt in England. Despite missing Miami, Lila finds another home in England. She works in the kitchen of her aunt’s inn and makes friends with the local kids. One of the friends, Orion, even volunteers to be her personal tour guide. As her feelings for Orion and England grow, Lila begins to wonder what “home” really means. Through Lila’s story, A Cuban Girl’s Guide to Tea and Tomorrow explores the merging of cultures and hearts.
If none of these titles caught your eye, suggestions for new books for the library are open! A QR code can be found in the library to request books to be included in the next order. While submitting a title does not guarantee it will be purchased, Castille encourages students to take advantage of this and request books that students will love.
