“Besides the fact that it’s Star Wars done like it’s never been done before, the story was incredibly genuine. Drawing from a rich tapestry of reimagining that dip in and out of the real world inspirations that drove George Lucas’ creative interpretation of the Hero’s Journey and Light vs Dark, the story turns a readers conceptions of what ought be on its head by switching the iconic roles. The Empire brings peace and prosperity, served by the Jedi, while the Rebellion only seeks to destabilize, and is fueled by the egoist Sith. Through this scope, the story examines lofty ideals and the dangers they provide, as well as one persons place among these titanic concepts that constantly test themselves against one another. Told with lightsabers, action, and that oh so wonderful Star Wars sense of humor of course.” – DG Library Staff

In this reimagining of the Star Wars universe, stories of the greater good, corruption, and unlikely allies come together as the Ronin pieces together what it means to reconcile ones past misdeeds and misgivings with their current path. Tied directly to the incredible debut episode of the Star Wars Manga Anthology – Visions – this novel explores a galaxy rich with the roots of the cultural inspirations that George Lucas drew from to create his iconic Jedi and Sith tales.

“The friendships and relationships portrayed in this book are so gentle and lovely. While many coming-of-age stories focus on the difficulties facing its main characters, Alice Oseman instead hones in on the development of genuinely caring and compassionate friendships that support each other in their instances of struggle.” – Lucas, Access Services

Boy meets boy. Boys become friends. Boys fall in love. A sweet and charming coming-of-age graphic novel that explores friendship, love, and coming out. Also now a show on Netflix!

“Well, Brené Brown has done it again: written the book I needed to hear at the exact right time and place. As someone who’s an emotional intelligence student, who sometimes has a difficult time naming and feeling emotions, taking her readers on a journey into a map of what each of the main emotions truly means from her research is a powerful tool for self exploration and deep wisdom. Even if this is your first book by her, you should give it a try.” – DGPL Staff

But it’s not just Morgan’s death that has Sadie on edge. And as the eyes of suspicion turn toward the new family in town, Sadie is drawn deeper into the mystery of what really happened that dark and deadly night. But Sadie must be careful, for the more she discovers about Mrs. Baines, the more she begins to realize just how much she has to lose if the truth ever comes to light.

“Tokyo Ever After is filled with lovable characters, a sweet romance, and an even more endearing exploration of family relationships and identity. I devoured this and then quickly grabbed the sequel, Tokyo Dreaming! ” – Amanda, ATS

After learning that her father is the Crown Prince of Japan, Izumi travels to Tokyo, where she discovers that Japanese imperial life–complete with designer clothes, court intrigue, paparazzi scandals, and a forbidden romance with her handsome but stoic bodyguard–is a tough fit for the outspoken and irreverent eighteen-year-old from northern California.

“Magic, sword fights, politics, hard choices, hilarious/thoughtful/moving banter, and romance. This is a 2014 game and remains my favorite.” – Kelly K., Circulation

Mages, once confined to towers with their magic constantly supervised and often brutally punished by the Chantry’s Templar Order, have rebelled. A civil war is brewing. Peace minded mages and clergy meet to discuss terms… but are massacred by an explosion so powerful that it tears a hole in the sky. As the blast’s sole survivor, only you and your team can bring the world back from the brink of destruction. Gorgeous openworld game, choice-based action and consequences, lots of humor, and 8 different romance-able characters to woo. (PS4, XBOX 360, XBOX ONE)

“Have tissues on hand when you play this game. I felt so many emotions while playing. It’s filled with lovable, memorable characters that you will probably get attached to. The gameplay is also very enjoyable and some days I found myself not wanting to put it down.” – Gina, Circulation

In this cozy management game, you play as Stella, a ferrymaster that cares for various spirits before they end their journey to the afterlife. Every spirit needs a comfy spot to sleep and good food to eat, so it’s your job to make them happy. In return, they’ll teach you something that might be helpful on your journey. Spiritfarer takes you on a journey to various islands where you’ll meet some interesting characters and find materials to upgrade your ship.

“First, I laughed until I cried. Then, I cried until I cried more. This one was life-changing for me personally. Imagine if She-Ra & the Princesses of Power was rated R and told from Catra’s POV? (Except I love Wyatt far, far more.)” – Kelly K., Circulation

In Asalin, fae rule and witches serve… or worse. Wyatt’s betrothal to Emyr was meant to change all that, but instead he fled to the human world. Despite transgender Wyatt’s newfound identity and troubling past, Emyr tracks him down and claims they must marry to avert civil war back home. Jaded, Wyatt strikes a deal with the enemy, hoping to escape Asalin forever. But as the witches face worsening conditions, he must decide what’s more important – his own freedom or his people’s.

“I loved learning more about written American Sign Language and the Deaf community. A great realistic teen read with romance and disability representation!” – Kira, Adult & Teen Services

Deaf teen Maya moves across the country and must attend a hearing school for the first time. As if that wasn’t hard enough, she also has to adjust to the hearing culture, which she finds frustrating—and also surprising when some classmates, including Beau Watson, take time to learn ASL. As Maya looks past graduation and focuses on her future dreams, nothing, not even an unexpected romance, will not derail her pursuits. But when people in her life—Deaf and hearing alike—ask her to question parts of her Deaf identity, Maya stands proudly, never giving in to the idea that her Deafness is a disadvantage.

“This book may be short in length, but its impact will be long lasting on any reader. 100% worth picking up and reading as soon as you can.” – Amanda, Adult & Teen Services

Erica Martin’s debut poetry collection walks readers through the Civil Rights Movement—from the well-documented events that shaped the nation’s treatment of Black people, beginning with the “Separate but Equal” ruling—and introduces lesser-known figures and moments that were just as crucial to the Movement and our nation’s centuries-long fight for justice and equality. Complete with historical photographs, author’s note, chronology of events, research, and sources.

“As a fan of the television series Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was excited to dive deeper into that universe with Earthbender Avatar Kyoshi’s origin story. Just like the television series, this story has its fair share of emotions and heartwarming storylines involving friendship and LGBTQ+ representation, to the heartbreaking reality of personal loss, impoverishment, and surviving in a world of political corruption. For fans of the Avatar: The Last Airbender series, this is a book worth picking up, and a hard one to put back down.” – Lane, Circulation

Set in the world of Avatar: The Last Airbender, readers journey into the origins of Avatar Kyoshi. Beginning with her humble roots in the Earth Kingdom, we follow Kyoshi as she stumbles into her position as the Avatar and journeys across the world in the pursuit of justice.

“Boulley tackles so many large ideas including grief and balancing two cultures and identities, but with grace and intrigue as she weaves them with a drug investigation and mystery. I just couldn’t put this book down. The characters are wonderful and there are so many twists to keep you on the edge of your seat. Grab some snacks and hot cocoa and prepare to spend your whole night reading this book!” – Amanda, Adult & Teen Services

Daunis, who is part Ojibwe, defers attending the University of Michigan to care for her mother and reluctantly becomes involved in the investigation of a series of drug-related deaths.

“Very well written and researched, non-judgmental” – Kelly P., Kids Room

The Donner Party like you’ve never heard about it before, told from multiple points of view, including Hunger and the oxen, in addition to the people who suffered through the trip.

“Reading this book has helped me settle into accepting uncertainty about why things are the way they are. I also developed a greater curiosity for physics and astronomy. Learning about atmosphere and movement will continue to shape the way I look at life.” – Emily, Circulation

This book describes how theories about the shape and formation of the universe have evolved over time. Dr. Hawking uses historical discoveries and diagrams as a way to describe how the universe contains black holes that process matter in a way that is similar to a vacuum. Furthermore, he leaves the unanswered questions of “When?” and “How?” encouraging readers to think critically and to accept uncertainty.

“Sweet, wonderfully paced story about those early stages of attraction against the backdrop of high school. You feel those early emotions with them of “are we friends, or does he like me.” – Karen B., Adult & Teen Services

Quiet Charlie attends an all-boys school and was outed the previous school year. He slowly becomes friends with an older student. Watch their friendship develop into maybe something more.

“The best part of the story is that the writer/director team of Tyler Nilson and Michael Schwartz knew Zack Gottsagen who plays Zak in the movie. They met him at a camp for artists where he was expressing his sincere wish to become a movie star. They were trying to gently inform him that there aren’t a lot of roles for actors who have Down Syndrome, so he asked them to write a movie that he could star in. That was the inspiration behind the script that became the movie.” – Martha, Circulation

This compelling story will grab you from the start.  Zak is a young adult with Down’s syndrome who dreams of being a professional wrestler. Abandoned by his parents, he lives in a small town with limited resources so he must live in a retirement home.  He is very unhappy and makes a break for it with the help of his elderly roommate Carl.  All alone on the road, he befriends a man named Tyler who is on the brink of his own personal crisis. Their unlikely friendship is both heartwarming and sweet (at times hysterical, inspirational).   The story of their journey is one you will not forget, nor will you ever forget Zak.