This month is Women’s HERstory Month! The Young Adult room’s theme is scholar and historian Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s famous quote “Well-behaved women seldom make history.” When she originally wrote this line in an article in 1976, she meant it literally: it was hard for historians to find evidence of how everyday women lived their lives because, unless they did something scandalous, no one made any significant notice of them (Ulrich 2007). The quote quickly caught on, however, as a rallying cry for women and girls to throw aside the societal expectations of “well-behaved women” – namely that they be quiet, dainty, and obedient – opting instead to embrace their passions, emotions, and skills to go make history and a name for themselves.
In the YA room, we have on display several books that highlight women like this. We have a handful of some of our favorite fictional stories of badass girls overthrowing toxic societies, like The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins (of COURSE), Graceling by Kristin Cashore, and We Set the Dark on Fire by Tehlor Kay Mejia. Most of our selections, though, are non-fiction books in a variety of styles: biographies, a fabulous verse novel, some graphic novels, and colorful illustrated anthologies! They showcase the amazing accomplishments of women from all over the world and time who refused to let anyone make them “behave,” like Harriet Tubman, Malala Yousafzai, Mary Shelley, Iva “Tokyo Rose” Toguri, Temple Grandin, Beyoncé, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Cleopatra, Joan of Arc, Hedy Lamarr, Nellie Blyn, Nzinga to name just a few.
The year 2023 marks the 400th anniversary of William Shakespeare’s first Folio, published in 1623! It contains 36 of his plays that might have otherwise been lost to time if his friends hadn’t published it 7 years after his death. Finish off 2023 by celebrating Shakespeare!
These YA books listed below are based upon or have taken inspiration from William Shakespeare’s work. Stop by the YA room and check them out before the year is over!
Inspired by Hamlet, Titus Andronicus, Romeo & Juliet, and King Lear
Enter the Body by Joy McCullough: “At once tender, poetic and ferocious, Enter The Body breathes new life into the Bard’s most tragic heroines. This kaleidoscopic, ambitious novel-in-verse gives Juliet, Ophelia, Cordelia, and Lavinia the chance to tell their own stories full of passion, justice, sisterhood, and love.”
Inspired by Macbeth
As I Descended by Robin Talley: A thrilling story of revenge and redemption!
Foul is Fair by Hannah Capin: This is a bloody, thrilling revenge fantasy for the girls who have had enough. Golden boys beware: something wicked this way comes.
Inspired by Romeo and Juliet
Between You, Me, and the Honeybees by Amelia Diane Coombs: A modern story of star-crossed lovers and secret flings!
Inspired byThe Taming of the Shrew
If I’m Being Honest by Emily Wibberley: An adorable YA romance where the main character herself takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s play, The Taming of the Shrew.
Inspired byMuch Ado About Nothing
Confessions of a Triple Shot Betty by Jody Gehrman: All is not what it seems in this story of mistaken identities, crazy summer high jinks, and enough romance to make Shakespeare proud.
Inspired byTwelfth Night
The Last True Poets of the Sea by Julia Drake: reimagining Twelfth Night as the story of a fractured family dealing with a legacy of mystery and mental illness, this book muses on tragedy, grief, mental illness, love and friendship.
Inspired byOthello
New Boy by Tracy Chevalier: The tragedy of Othello is transposed to a 1970’s suburban Washington schoolyard, where kids fall in and out of love with each other before lunchtime, and practice a casual racism picked up from their parents and teachers.
Inspired byKing Lear
Tigers, Not Daughters by Samantha Mabry: an aching, magical novel that is one part family drama, one part ghost story, and one part love story. The title comes from a line in King Lear, where his daughters are decried as barbaric for their treatment of their father.
We Were Liars by E. Lockhart: a smash-up of King Lear and Wuthering Heights, it’s a story of a distinguished and privileged families, their lies, their loves, and the truth.
The East Meadow Public Library will be participating in the Great Give Back during the month of October.
The mission of The Great Give Back is to provide opportunities for the patrons of the Public Libraries of New York State to participate in meaningful, service-oriented experiences.
Get Ready for Summer! School is almost out, and you’ll have a lot of free time on your hands. Here are a few summer reads that we recommend. What are you in the mood for?
In the mood for a summery Romance? Try: The Edge of Summer by Erica George
Cor and her best friend Ella have always dreamed of saving the whales. After tragedy strikes, Cor is now more determined than ever to finish a bucket list that she and her best friend made together. One of the items on the list is participating in an internship focused on saving the Whales in Cape Cod. Cor sets off on a summer of healing and new beginnings. What will happen along the way? Who will she meet, and will it complicate things? Will Cor be able to stay focused on her lifelong goal?
In the mood for a love letter to summer? Try: Sometimes in Summer by Katrina Leno
Anna believes she has the worst luck. One bad thing after another keeps happening, and she just can’t catch a break. To top it all off, she finds out she has to spend the whole summer with her mother in a cottage in New England. The same place where her mom spent her own childhood summers. Anna is NOT excited, and expects the summer to be awful. Will she be right, or will she find something good mixed in with all the bad luck she’s been facing?
In the mood for a thrilling mystery? Try: Missing Clarissa by Ripley Jones
Two best friends, Blair and Cameron, decide to start a true crime podcast with the goal of discussing an over twenty year long cold case that happened right in their hometown. They want to solve this murder. Along the way they uncover a lot of secrets that certain people would have preferred to stay covered up. Will they be able to solve it themselves? Great for fans of Sadie or A Good Girl’s Guide to Murder.
In the mood for a book that will take you away to another world? Try: Stellarlune by Shannon Messenger
The 9th and newest installment of the best-selling Keeper of the Lost Cities series. Join Sophie and all of her friends as their journey to stop the Neverseen continues. In this story, there are tons of revelations and secrets revealed, and a lot of difficult choices to be made. So many things are unknown. The one thing Sophie does know, is that her life, and the lives of everyone in the Elven cities will never be the same. If you haven’t read any of this series, fill your summer up with Keeper of the Lost Cities books 1-9!
In the mood for something a little more relatable? Try: The Unstoppable Bridget Bloom by Allison L. Bitz
A great book about body-positivity, self-love, self-awareness, and growth. Bridget is a very self-centered person, and it’s a huge turn off for most of the people in her life. Bridget’s singing voice is amazing, and she knows it. Her plans are all coming together when she is accepted into a competitive boarding school with an amazing music program. Upon arriving she realizes that this may be harder than she thought. An obstacle that prevents her from performing gets in her way and she will have to find something other than her voice to prove herself, and work on becoming a little more humble along the way.
Not long after midnight on September 5th, Mateo and Rufus, two very different boys, both get a call from a company called Death-Cast, informing them that sometime in the next 24 hours, they are going to die. They aren’t told how or when it will happen, they’re only told they should start saying their goodbyes and get their affairs in order. Knowing they don’t want to hurt the ones they love the most, they feel it best to distance themselves from their loved ones on their end day. They decide to download the “Last Friend” App, which connects people who have gotten the call. Using that app, Rufus and Mateo are brought together, and they embark on tons of end day adventures together, forming a life changing friendship along the way. Too bad it’s both of their last days. While reading, you can almost forget Mateo and Rufus are on their end days, as the author makes it so the reader is absorbed in their relationship with each other, and their adventures around town . This book is not about death, despite the title, it is about life. It’s a story of two strangers who learn to trust each other to make their final day the best that it can be; and the choices one makes, knowing they don’t have much time left. A bittersweet story that no one will regret reading.
On September 11, 2001, 9-year-old Brandon finds himself in the World Trade Center separated from his father by many floors. Reshmina is an 11-year-old girl living in a remote Afghan village and is also fighting for the endurance of her family. The author tells both of their survival stories with heartfelt sympathy, and at the same time delivers a fast paced and exciting novel. I can assure you that you will not see the twists and turns in this book as both Brandon and Reshmina find themselves in very dangerous, yet different situations.
Children from birth to entering Grade 5 are invited to dive into the ocean depths this summer as EMPL presents our Summer Reading Program “Oceans of Possibilities”. Beginning June 20, participants can sign up for the summer reading program online at eastmeadow.info. Join us all summer for under the sea themed crafts, storytimes, shows, live sea creatures, and so much more! Register online HERE and then visit the children’s room to collect your first button or sticker.
Young adults entering grades 6-12 are invited to join the YA Summer Reading program! Log your reading online throughout the summer and earn raffle tickets and a chance to win prizes. Register online HERE and then visit the YA Room to collect your registration prize.
The Sun is Also a Star by Nicole Yoon is a book I would definitely recommend to other teens. This book was life changing and changed my perspective on life! It has so much diversity and it’s very down to earth. It talks about real life situations people are going through. The main characters are a female named Natasha who believes in scientism and a male named Daniel who believes in fate and things you can’t back up with evidence.
Natasha is getting deported back to Jamaica because of her fathers mistake. Daniel has to fill in for his perfect brother which ends up disappointing his parents. It is hard to live up to his parents’ expectations. Daniel meets Natasha and instantly falls in love. Natasha spends her last remaining day in New York city with Daniel and tries to live her best life before she gets deported.
I recommend this book to all readers who love down to earth and touching books.
