#Pride and Joy
June is Rainbow Book Month – a nationwide celebration of the authors and writings that reflect the lives and experiences of the LGBTQIA+ community. An initiative of the American Library Association, it’s an opportunity for book lovers to discover diverse stories and for libraries to foster community, understanding and access.
#Introducing Teen Lit Chat
Celebrate Rainbow Book Month and the kickoff of our brand-new Teen Lit Chat series with our upcoming interview with author Mackenzi Lee. Her book, The Gentleman’s Guide to Vice and Virtue, was declared by Teen Vogue "the queer teen historical you didn’t know was missing from your life."
Mackenzi talks with Kay Huggins, longtime Jacksonville resident and host of The Raindrop Corner Podcast on Thursday, June 9 at 7 p.m. live on Zoom. The event is open to all but designed with teens in mind.
#Register now for Teen Lit Chat!
#For fans of the Montague Siblings
If you’ve already read (and love) Mackenzi Lee’s bestselling series, you might also enjoy national bestseller The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern (author of the Night Circus). This timeless love story, set in a magical underground world, is full of pirates, painters, lovers, liars, crowded ballrooms, secret clubs and ships that sail upon a starless sea.
#Looking for more teen reads?
If you somehow haven’t read Heartstopper by Alice Oseman (or seen the hugely popular Netflix series or the countless TikTok fan videos), now’s a great time to take a look. This boy-meets-boy coming-of-age story explores friendship, love and coming out.
#Happily-ever-afters
Looking for more light-hearted romance? How about a dash of non-binary representation? Add in a popular reality TV cooking competition (why not?) and you’ve got Love & Other Disasters by Anita Kelly. Falling in love may not have been part of the plan for London or Dahlia but their relationship quickly heats up (in and outside the kitchen).
