Celebrate your Freedom to Read!!

Today is the first day of the annual Banned Books Week which is meant to highlight the benefits of free and open access to information while drawing attention to the harms of censorship by spotlighting actual or attempted bannings of books across the United States.

So pick up a banned or challenged book at the library and celebrate your freedom to read!

(Some banned and challenged books have been put on display on top of the bookshelf across from the elevator on the 2nd floor of the library. All of these books are covered with brown paper to highlight that they were challenged somewhere in the world. All books may be checked out.)

Even More New Books

Dead Until Dark by Charlaine Harris
Sookie Stackhouse is just a small-time cocktail waitress in small-town Louisiana. Until the vampire of her dreams walks into her life-and one of her coworkers checks out....Maybe having a vampire for a boyfriend isn't such a bright idea.


The Girl of Fire and Thorns by Rae Carson
Once a century, one person is chosen for greatness.

Elisa is the chosen one.

But she is also the younger of two princesses. The one who has never done anything remarkable, and can't see how she ever will.

Now, on her sixteenth birthday, she has become the secret wife of a handsome and worldly king-a king whose country is in turmoil. A king who needs her to be the chosen one, not a failure of a princess.

And he's not the only one who seeks her. Savage enemies, seething with dark magic, are hunting her. A daring, determined revolutionary thinks she could be his people's savior, and he looks at her in a way that no man has ever looked at her before. Soon it is not just her life, but her very heart that is at stake.

Elisa could be everything to those who need her most. If the prophecy is fulfilled. If she finds the power deep within herself. If she doesn't die young.

Most of the chosen do.

All These Things I've Done by Gabrielle Zevin
In 2083, chocolate and coffee are illegal, paper is hard to find, water is carefully rationed, and New York City is rife with crime and poverty. And yet, for Anya Balanchine, the sixteen-year-old daughter of the city's most notorious (and dead) crime boss, life is fairly routine. It consists of going to school, taking care of her siblings and her dying grandmother, trying to avoid falling in love with the new assistant D.A.'s son, and avoiding her loser ex-boyfriend. That is until her ex is accidently poisoned by the chocolate her family manufactures and the police think she's to blame. Suddenly, Anya finds herself thrust unwillingly into the spotlight--at school, in the news, and most importantly, within her mafia family.

Goliath by Scott Westerfeld
A #1 "New York Times"-bestselling author delivers the riveting conclusion to his masterful trilogy. The tension thickens as "Leviathan" steams toward New York City with a homicidal maniac on board: secrets suddenly unravel, characters reappear, and nothing is as it seems. Illustrations.

Circle 9 by Anne Heltzel
Who was Abby then? Who is Abby now? In this courageous psychological thriller, Abby tells the story of living her new life and discovering her old one, while grappling with an ever-changing reality.


The Lying Game by Sara Shepard
Pretty girls don't play by the rules. They make them. Abandoned by her mother at age five, Emma Paxton has had a rough life in foster care, always longing for a family of her own. When she discovers Sutton Mercer, the wealthy twin she never knew she had, she leaps at the chance to meet her. But then Sutton disappears. . . . Mistaking Emma for her sister, Sutton's friends whisk her away. At first Emma plays along, eager to peek into her twin's life. Sutton seems to have everything Emma never got--an adoring boyfriend, fiercely loyal friends, and a close-knit family--but as Emma is drawn further into Sutton's world, she finds that everyone is hiding dark secrets. Worst of all, Sutton may not be coming back--ever. Now, to find out what happened to her, Emma must keep up the charade. But one wrong move and she could end up missing as well. Let the Lying Game begin.

Chime by Franny Billingsley
Before Briony's stepmother died, she made sure Briony blamed herself for all the family's hardships. Now Briony has worn her guilt for so long it's become a second skin. She often escapes to the swamp, where she tells stories to the Old Ones, the spirits who haunt the marshes. But only witches can see the Old Ones, and in her village, witches are sentenced to death. Briony lives in fear her secret will be found out, even as she believes she deserves the worst kind of punishment. Then Eldric comes along with his golden lion eyes and mane of tawny hair. He's as natural as the sun, and treats her as if she's extraordinary. And everything starts to change. As many secrets as Briony has been holding, there are secrets even she doesn't know.

Tantalize: Kieren's Story by Cynthia Leitich Smith
Illustrated by new talent Doyle, Smith's "Tantalize" is reimagined as a graphic novel--seen through the eyes of werewolf Kieren. Young adult.

More New Books

Pure Red by Danielle Joseph
I, Cassia Bernard, do solemnly swear to find pure red-my passion-this summer. Dad's passion is art. When he's painting, no one can reach him, not even me. My mom's passion was the ocean. She said the ocean allows you to see whatever you want to see. That was one of the last things she ever said to me...

Sometimes what your heart desires isn't what it needs. Over the course of a hot Miami summer, sixteen-year-old Cassia discovers that sometimes it takes bullies and basketball, a best friend, and a gorgeous guy to help you understand what you actually need-and to help you see that, maybe, everything isn't so black and white.

Daniel X: Game Over by James Patterson
When Daniel X discovers that a duo of evil extraterrestrials is plotting to control kids around the world through videogames, he's determined to take them both out of commission. This pair of wicked game masters wants to destroy the human race by turning brainwashed videogamers into an unstoppable army of doom! They're also running an endangered species hunting club on the side, and their next target is none other thanDaniel. He'll have no choice but to turn to the aliens' rebellious son who needs help to stand up to his malicious parents. But can Daniel trust the progeny of this treacherous twosome? Or will it be "Game Over" for the alien hunter?

The Fox Inheritance by Mary Pearson
Once there were three. Three friends who loved each other — Jenna, Locke, and Kara. And after a terrible accident destroyed their bodies, their three minds were kept alive, spinning in a digital netherworld. Even in that disembodied nightmare, they were still together. At least at first. When Jenna disappeared, Locke and Kara had to go on without her. Decades passed, and then centuries. Two-hundred-and-sixty years later, they have been released at last. Given new, perfect bodies, Locke and Kara awaken to a world they know nothing about, where everyone they once knew and loved is long dead.Everyone except Jenna Fox.

Perfect by Ellen Hopkins
Everyone has something, someone, somewhere else that they’d rather be. For four high-school seniors, their goals of perfection are just as different as the paths they take to get there. A riveting and startling companion to the bestselling Impulse, Ellen Hopkins’s Perfect exposes the harsh truths about what it takes to grow up—and grow into our own selves. Because everyone wants to be perfect, but when perfection loses its meaning, how far will you go?

The Slayer Chronicles: First Kill by Heather Brewer
The Chronicles of Vladmir Tod is still sinking its fangs into readers. Now, "New York Times"-bestselling author Brewer brings fans the other side of the story, from the perspective of Vlad's former friend-turned-mortal enemy, vampire slyer Joss Macmillan.



Percy Jerkson and the Ovolactovegetarians by Stefan Petrucha
“Percy Jackson & the Olympians” gets carved up by Rick Parker and Stefan Petrucha in the third installment from PAPERCUTZ SLICES. The epic fantasy series is extremely popular with readers of all ages and backgrounds, making it a prime target for the parody duo of Parker and Petrucha, from whom no Young Adult Bestseller is safe!


Vanish: a Firelight Novel by Sophie Jordan
The steamy paranormal romance of "Firelight" continues in the second book of the series about a girl who can shape-shift into dragon form and the human boy she loves.




Stay with Me by Paul Griffin
Fifteen-year-olds C‚ce and Mack didn't expect to fall in love. She's a sensitive A student; he's a high school dropout. But soon they're spending every moment together, bonding over a rescued dog, telling their secrets, making plans for the future. Everything is perfect. Until. Until. Mack makes a horrible mistake, and in just a few minutes, the future they'd planned becomes impossible. In this stark new reality, both of them must find meaning and hope in the memories of what they had, to survive when the person they love can't stay.

From award-winning writer Paul Griffin, Stay with Meis both heartbreaking and uplifting, filled with characters (both dog and human) that will forever change the way you look at the world.

Wonderstruck by Brian Selznick
Set 50 years apart, two independent stories weave back and forth with mesmerizing symmetry. Playing with the form he created in his trailblazing debut novel, "The Invention of Hugo Cabret," Caldecott Medalist Selznick once again sails into uncharted territory and takes readers on an awe-inspiring journey. Illustrations.


I'm Not Her by Janet Gertler
"Cute and quirky, with sentimentality reminiscent of Judy Blume, this is a book for the keeper shelf -- one that readers will devour again and again!" -- RT Book Reviews, 4.5 starsBrainy Tess Smith is the younger sibling of the beautiful, popular, volleyball-scholarship-bound Kristina. When Kristina is diagnosed with bone cancer, it drastically changes both sisters' lives. Sometimes the things that annoy us the most about our siblings are the ones we'd miss the most if we lost them. In this YA literary coming-of-age novel that will appeal to readers who love Jodi Picoult and Sarah Dessen, sisters Tess and Kristina discover not only who they are, but who they can become."Rich in characterization, Gurtler's novel wrestles with some serious issues and explores different means of coping (or escaping) yet manages not to be overwhelming or bleak. Just right for fans of Sarah Dessen and Jodi Picoult, this is a strong debut that attempts to answer the question, What does it really mean to live?"

New Books

Witchlanders by Lena Coakley
Ryder’s mother was once a great prophet and powerful witch, but she is slowly losing her mind to grief—and maiden’s woe, an addictive flower drug found in the Witchlands. Deadly monsters made out of dirt and sticks and stones are coming, she warns. There is an assassin in the mountains, she cautions the coven. But none believe her.

Then the monsters come. In the wake of his village’s destruction, Ryder heads into the mountains on a quest to find the assassin and destroy the creator of the ghastly monsters. When he finds his twin—a spirit twin who is not the assassin, but is a sworn enemy of the Witchlanders—Ryder and Falpian awaken a long dormant magic and become entangled in the stirrings of new war between their peoples.

Laced with rich, imagined histories, miles of catacombs, and prophecies true and false, Lena Coakley’s debut novel is a lush, chilling story in the tradition of Nancy Farmer and Garth Nix.

Age of Reptiles: Omnibus by Ricardo Delgado
Forget the Silver Age, and bag the Golden Age - this is the Age of Reptiles! Ricardo Delgado, winner of the Eisner Award for Talent Deserving of Wider Recognition, and a prolific development and storyboard artist (Men in Black, The Incredibles, WALL-E, X-Men Origins: Wolverine, and The Matrix series) has crafted epic tales about the most unlikely cast of characters: dinosaurs! This volume collects long-out-of-print Age of Reptiles miniseries Age of Reptiles and Age of Reptiles: The Hunt, the never-before-collected third series, Age of Reptiles: The Journey, and a wide assortment of bonus material, including supplementary text pieces, a cover-art gallery, and sketchbook material.

Witch and Wizard Volume 2: Operation Zero by James Patterson
Whit and Wisty get the shock of their lives when a member of the New Order's inner circle, The One Who Bans Books, contacts them with a clandestine proposal: he wants their help in removing The One Who Is The One from power! He confesses to having grown disgusted with the N.O., and reveals that he's aware of an ancient book of the occult that holds a spell for stripping an individual of all their magic. Unfortunately, the book is in a heavily-guarded N.O. bunker that's shielded against magic portals from Shadowland. But more importantly, can the Allgood siblings even trust this man who is willing to commit treason, or is his offer just an elaborate trap?

The Power of Six by Pittacus Lore
The follow-up to the #1 "New York Times" bestseller "I Am Number Four." John Smith is Number Four. He has just met Number Six, and he knows the survival and the fate of Lorien--and Earth--now rest in their hands.



Pink by Lili Wilkinson
Debut author Wikinson takes a lighthearted but timely and resonant look at a teen's attempts to don a new personality and figure out who she really wants to be.




My Boyfriend is A Monster: Made For Each Other by Paul D. Storrie
Maria McBride is a little shy and a little awkward. So when she runs smack into--literally--the new guy at school, she doesn't know quite what to do. Tom's kind, good-looking, and well-built. And he's clearly drawn to Maria. But he turns down her tentative invites and seems very reluctant to talk about his past and his family--especially his father, the town's new funeral director. What is Tom's mystery? What's up with his dad's creepy assistant, Graves? What's going on at the family funeral home? And what is Maria getting herself into?

Wildefire by Karsten Knight
Ashline and her wild-child sister, Eve, never appeared too remarkable, besides being Polynesian in a white suburban town. That is, until a petty schoolyard quarrel escalates to violence, during which Eve kills a rival of Ashline’s in cold blood. Shocked, Ashline moves across the country to a remote private school nestled in California’s redwoods, hoping to put the tragedy behind her. But her fresh start doesn’t go as planned. After a series of dangerous and mysterious occurrences—an attempted kidnapping, the appearance of paranormal beasts in the local forest—Ashline learns that she and four of her classmates are actually demigods who were summoned to this middle-of-nowhere school by an enigmatic blind girl. As a war between the gods looms over the campus, two very powerful organizations—with very different ideas on how the demigods should use their powers—are vying for control. Both groups want Ashline and her newfound abilities on their side…and some are willing to kill for her.

Racing in the Rain: My Life as a Dog by Garth Stein
Adapted from the author's adult novel: The art of racing in the rain.





The Philosophy Book by DK Publishing
An innovative and accessible guide to more than 2,000 years of thought
To the complete novice learning about philosophy can be daunting & The Philosophy Book changes all that. With the use of powerful and easy to follow images, succinct quotations, and explanations that are easily understandable, this book cuts through any misunderstandings to demystify the subject.
Each chapter is organized chronologically, and covers not only the big ideas, but the philosophers who first voiced them, as well as cross-referencing with earlier and later ideas and thinkers. The Philosophy Book untangles knotty theories and sheds light on abstract concepts, and is perfect for anyone with a general interest in how our social, political, and ethical ideas are formed, as well as students of philosophy and politics.

Danger! by Laura Buller
Warning! Open this book at your own risk. Inside, you'll encounter animals armed with sharp claws and killer jaws, deep-sea monsters, poisonous plants, and frogs falling from the sky, not to mention some of the world's most accident-prone humans. Explore the hottest and highest places on Earth, get lost in Antarctic wastes, and consider the end of the world and whether or not it's near. And just when you think you're done, you'll come face-to-face with the most dangerous mathematical formula in history.

Don't let the encyclopedic structure, funky mixed-media designs, facts, stats, and stories lull you into a false sense of security. Danger! is filled with peril, risk, and suspense. Open with extreme caution.

Supernaturally by Kiersten White
The thrilling sequel to the "New York Times" bestseller "Paranormalcy." Just when Evie thinks she's left behind her not-so-normal past, she finds herself caught once again in a dark web of faerie deceit.