Month: April 2024

by Alyssa Yenzer Alyssa Yenzer No Comments

Little Apple Pride

Little Apple Pride

by Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

The Ex-Girlfriend of My Ex-Girlfriend Is My Girlfriend: Advice on Queer  Dating, Love, and FriendshipApril is significant this year for many reasons: a once in 20 years eclipse, the first day of spring, Earth Day, Library Workers Appreciation Day, and Manhattan’s Little Apple Pride Festival. Little Apple Pride takes place on Saturday April 20th at City Park. The Parade and vendor booths start/open at 3pm with entertainment at the Band Shell going until 7pm. Come visit the Manhattan Public Library booth from 3-6 in the Wefald pavilion. We will have plenty of Proud Reader swag and smiling faces!

 

This year, our public services librarians created a list of non-fiction books to feature in our subject resources brochure that will be going to the event and will be located throughout the library. This brochure and our other subject resources are available online at https://mhklibrary.org/home/online-resources/. You will find the list of books below, but the handout also includes national and local resources and their contact information. As always, all information for these titles has been taken from our catalog, which can be accessed at https://catalog.manhattan.lib.ks.us/polaris/default.aspx.

 

Adult Nonfiction Books:

Ace: What Asexuality Reveals About Desire, Society, and the Meaning of Sex

by Angela Chen.  “Journalist Angela Chen creates her path to understanding her own asexuality with the perspectives of a diverse group of asexual people. Vulnerable and honest, these stories include a woman who had blood tests done because she was convinced that ‘not wanting sex’ was a sign of serious illness, and a man who grew up in a religious household and did everything ‘right,’ only to realize after marriage that his experience of sexuality had never been the same as that of others. Disabled aces, aces of color, gender-nonconforming aces, and aces who both do and don’t want romantic relationships all share their experiences navigating a society in which a lack of sexual attraction is considered abnormal. Chen’s careful cultural analysis explores how societal norms limit understanding of sex and relationships and celebrates the breadth of sexuality and queerness.”

The Ex-Girlfriend of My Ex-Girlfriend Is My Girlfriend: Advice on Queer Dating, Love,and Friendship” written by Maddy Court and illustrated by Kelsey Wroten.

“Court answers anonymous queries from lesbian, bisexual, and queer women and people of marginalized genders. She tackles first loves, heartbreak, coming out, and queer friendship—all answered with the warmth and honesty of the gay big sister you wish you had. The questions reflect real experiences that aren’t often represented in the media, and the answers offer an important reminder that loving ourselves takes patience, effort, and the support of our friends and communities.”

¡Hola Papi!: How to Come Out in a Walmart Parking Lot and Other Life Lessons” by John Paul Brammer

“The popular LGBTQ advice columnist and writer presents a memoir-in-essays chronicling his journey growing up as a queer, mixed-race kid in America’s heartland to becoming the ‘Chicano Carrie Bradshaw’ of his generation.”

 

 

Young Adult Nonfiction Books:

Queer Ducks (and Other Animals): The Natural World of Animal Sexuality” written by Eliot Schrefer and illustrated by Jules Zuckerberg

“This groundbreaking illustrated YA nonfiction title from two-time National Book Award finalist and New York Times bestselling author Eliot Schrefer is a well-researched and teen-friendly exploration of the gamut of queer behaviors observed in animals. In sharp and witty prose—aided by humorous comics—Schrefer uses science, history, anthropology, and sociology to illustrate the diversity of sexual behavior in the animal world. Interviews with researchers in the field offer additional insights for readers and aspiring scientists.”

Coming Out: Insights and Tips for Teenagers” by Kezia Endsley

“offers compassionate insight into the hows and whys of coming out. Whether you are struggling with coming out yourself or wanting to help a friend or family member, this book seeks to provide answers to some of the questions you may have. Written from the perspective of the LGBTQIA+ community with firsthand accounts from fellow teenagers, this book addresses the issues and concerns of today that will resonate with anyone wishing to come out and live a happy, fulfilled life surrounded by people who love and accept them. You will learn -how to know when you or a loved one is ready to come out -who to tell first -how to deal with unsupportive people -how to deal with homophobia -how to move into loving self-acceptance.”

What’s the T?: No-Nonsense Guide to All Things Trans and/or Non-binary for Teens

written by Juno Dawson and illustrated by Soofiya

“Discover what it means to be a young transgender and/or non-binary person in the twenty-first century in this candid and funny guide for teens from the bestselling author of ‘This Book is Gay.’ In ‘What’s the T?’ Stonewall ambassador and bestselling author Juno Dawson is back again, this time with everything you’ve wanted to know about labels and identities and offering uncensored advice with her trademark humor and lightness of touch. It is informative, helpful, optimistic, and funny but with a good dose of reality and some of the things that can downright suck too. ‘What’s the T?’ tackles the complex realities of growing up trans with honesty and humor and is joyfully illustrated by gender non-conforming artist Soofiya.”

 

 

I hope to see you exploring our library and visiting us at events throughout the summer! Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

 

 

 

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Audrey Swartz, Adult Services and Readers’ Advisory Librarian

by Alyssa Yenzer Alyssa Yenzer No Comments

The Importance of Wordless Picture Books

The Importance of Wordless Picture Books

By Hannah Atchison, children’s librarian, Manhattan Public Library

You Can't Take a Balloon Into the Metropolitan Museum

As a child, I was told I had a wild imagination. My family would engage in dramatic adventures with me, using every pillow we owned. And before bed, we would read. Though the books my parents read to me grew longer with fewer pictures, picture books always held a special place in my heart. My favorites were the wordless ones by Peter Collington. I could spend hours with one, reimagining the story a little differently each time. Wordless books are important for children because they teach context clues, emotional intelligence, body language, and imagination. In Manhattan Public Library’s collection, we have a growing number of wordless picture books. I recommend these titles.

Where’s Walrus?” by Stephen Savage is a fun look-and-find book appropriate for toddlers. Walrus runs away from the zookeeper and puts on costumes to hide in the city. While looking for Walrus with your little one, you can talk about occupations, colors, and places you see.

The Line in the Sand” by Thao Lam is also in our toddler section. Friendly monsters are playing on the beach. One draws a line with a stick. As one monster attempts to cross it, another blocks them. Tempers rise and a crowd gathers. The monsters’ imaginary problem is resolved by the arrival of a bee. All of this is communicated with body language. Ask your child how they think the monsters may be feeling. You could even talk about similar human-created problems in the world.

Imagine!” by Raúl Colón introduces us to a boy visiting an art museum. He imagines the characters in the paintings climbing out to have fun with him there. On his way home, he creates beautiful street art of his friends from the museum and thinks of them as he falls asleep. Art coming to life is a wonderful subject for the imagination. Does your child have an art piece they wish they could interact with?

You Can’t Take a Balloon into the Metropolitan Museum” is a funny adventure by Jacqueline Preiss Weitzman that compares art to life as the museum doorman chases a girl’s balloon that flies off while she is in the museum with her grandmother. Talk about the similarities between the art pieces and the balloon adventure. Ask your child what they think will happen next.

Another” by Christian Robinson is a science fiction adventure. A little girl and her pet discover an opposite world with people just like her. Imagine together what other worlds might be like or what you wish your world was like.

Sidewalk Flowers” are collected by a girl going on a walk with her father. JonArno Lawson’s tale is about being thankful for the small things and sharing that joy with others. The girl leaves the flowers she has collected with a dead bird, a man sleeping on a bench, strangers, animals and family. Practice empathy and ask your child if benches are comfortable to sleep on and why the man might be sleeping there. Ask them why they think the girl is giving away her flowers to each of the people/animals they encounter.

Once Upon a Forest” by Pam Fong is about a little furry forest creature who sees smoke. The furry friend gathers tools to put out the fire, but there is still damage. The furry creature clears away the dead trees’ branches, prepares the soil, and plants new seeds. The creature guards the trees as they grow and protects them from hungry deer. When they are full grown he sets off again into the forest. The furry forester expresses many emotions, which you can help your child identify as you read.

The Brain Storm” by Linda Ragsdale is about a boy in a bad mood, pictured as a scribbly ‘storm’ floating above his head. He doesn’t know how to make the storm go away so he brings it to his grandmother who helps him understand it. This book is about emotions and uses body language to communicate it.

Free Fall” is a dreamworld adventure by David Wiesner. A boy travels through an imaginary world with strange creatures as he dreams. These unusual encounters and explorations are an opportunity for children to expand their own imaginations.

Journey” is the first book in a magical trilogy by Aaron Becker. The fantastical adventures are colorful and grand, despite the small pages in which they are contained. Themes of bravery and friendship weave through these imaginary adventures.

Some say you can’t read a wordless book. I disagree. Reading is an interpretation of symbols and the connection of those symbols to their meaning in the world. Pictures are a form of expressing communication just like letters and words. The skills gained from reading a wordless picture book— interpretation of context clues, emotional intelligence, body language, and imagination—are just as valuable. Wordless books are an invitation to participate in the story you are reading. If you would like more suggestions of wordless books, you can find your local librarians here at the Manhattan Public Library.

Manhattan Public Library is a cornerstone of free and equal access to a world of ideas and information for the Manhattan, Kansas, community. Learn more at mhklibrary.org.

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By Hannah Atchison, children’s librarian, Manhattan Public Library

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