It’s the end of May and summer is finally in the air—the perfect time to get up and move and go outside. Or how about staying inside and reading some manga? Sports manga is hugely popular in Japan and we’re seeing a steady trickle of great sports titles over here as well. With baseball season underway and exciting sporting events like the Tour de France later this summer, get inspired by these great titles. You’ll find the first three series in the Young Adult Graphic Novel Collection and the last two in the Childrens’ Graphic Novel Collection

Dystopian and post-apocalyptic fiction are popular these days (The Handmaid’s Tale, anyone?), but sometimes we need an escape from the doom and gloom. For weary souls, here are some tales that offer something beyond darkness. These stories aren’t conflict-free (that would make for a boring novel!) but they ooze warmth, humor, compassion, and above all, optimism. These character-driven stories are all about building bridges, not burning them.

Great books serve as “windows and mirrors,” meaning they reflect readers’ own experiences back at them while also opening insights into other people’s experiences. Such books can contribute to intercultural understanding, which is a requisite for social justice in a multicultural society. Furthermore, every culture deserves authentic representation in literature. But in any case, books which work as “windows and mirrors” are enjoyable to read! Drawn from our Young Adult section, here are some books that we hope will be “windows and mirrors” for you. Maybe you’ll see yourself reflected in the characters, and maybe you’ll discover something new about the world.

Are you in a book club? Does your book club want to read the newest titles on the best seller list? There can be long waits at the library for the hottest reads, which doesn’t work when you only have a month or so to read a book. Need some other ideas? Here are some suggestions that will still have that book club appeal but don’t come with that long waiting list.