Start Now!: You Can Make a Difference


Chelsea Clinton - 2018
    With comic drawings to illustrate Clinton's words, photographs of real live kids who are making a difference today, and lists of ways to get involved, this book is the perfect introduction to young activists who want to make the world a better place.A book equally important and welcome for any elementary school kid, the Cub Scout and Girl Scout set, and for moms who want to raise socially active children.

Marcelo in the Real World


Francisco X. Stork - 2008
    But the summer after his junior year, his father demands that Marcelo work in his law firm's mailroom in order to experience "the real world." There Marcelo meets Jasmine, his beautiful and surprising coworker, and Wendell, the son of another partner in the firm.He learns about competition and jealousy, anger and desire. But it's a picture he finds in a file -- a picture of a girl with half a face -- that truly connects him with the real world: its suffering, its injustice, and what he can do to fight.Reminiscent of "The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time" in the intensity and purity of its voice, this extraordinary novel is a love story, a legal drama, and a celebration of the music each of us hears inside.

Beyond the Gender Binary


Alok Vaid-Menon - 2020
    Taking from their own experiences as a gender-nonconforming artist, they show us that gender is a malleable and creative form of expression. The only limit is your imagination.

The Stonewall Riots: Coming Out in the Streets


Gayle E. Pitman - 2019
    The Riots are attributed as the spark that ignited the LGBTQ+ movement. The author describes American gay history leading up to the Riots, the Riots themselves, and the aftermath, and includes her interviews of people involved or witnesses, including a woman who was ten at the time. Profusely illustrated, the book includes contemporary photos, newspaper clippings, and other period objects. A timely and necessary read, The Stonewall Riots helps readers to understand the history and legacy of the LGBTQ+ movement.

A Boy Made of Blocks


Keith Stuart - 2016
    A father who rediscovers loveAlex loves his wife Jody, but has forgotten how to show it. He loves his son Sam, but doesn't understand him. He needs a reason to grab his future with both hands.A son who shows him how to liveMeet eight-year-old Sam: beautiful, surprising - and different. To him the world is a frightening mystery. But as his imagination comes to life, his family will be changed . . . for good.

Becoming Dangerous: Witchy Femmes, Queer Conjurers and Magical Rebels on Summoning the Power to Resist


Katie WestKatelan Foisy - 2018
    With contributions from twenty witchy femmes, queer conjurers, and magical rebels, Becoming Dangerous is a book of intelligent and challenging essays that will resonate with anyone who’s ever looked for answers outside the typical places.From ritualistic skincare routines to gardening; from becoming your own higher power to searching for a legendary Scottish warrior woman; from the fashion magick of brujas to cripple-witch city-magic; from shoreline rituals to psychotherapy—this book is for people who know that now is the time, now is the hour, ours is the magic, ours is the power.

Everything in Its Place: My Trials and Triumphs with Obsessive Compulsive Disorder


Marc Summers - 1999
    While smiling on the outside, however, inwardly Summers was consumed by anxiety. It wasn't until preeminent psychiatrist Dr. Eric Hollander appeared as a guest on Summers's Lifetime talk show that the source of his distress became clear: like an estimated 6 million Americans today--that's one in forty adults--Summers suffers the effects of obsessive compulsive disorder.Everything in Its Place has been written for the many functional people battling OCD in silence, people who do not identify with popular profiles of OCD sufferers as bizarre, mentally ill victims. Extending beyond a memoir, clinical study, or how-to manual, Summers's book explores positive aspects of the disorder that can actually foster success. For the millions of people who suspect their strange quirks are symptoms of the disorder, Summers clarifies the differences between superstition, caution, and real OCD. For those who have OCD and think they're alone in the world, he sets a positive example with his personal success. Informed by the latest research findings as well as the unique perspective of the doctor who made Summers's own symptoms manageable, Everything in Its Place is a book on OCD unlike any other.

Kissing Doorknobs


Terry Spencer Hesser - 1998
    In grade school, she panicked during the practice fire drills. Practice for what?, Tara asked. For the upcoming disaster that was bound to happen?Then, at the age of 11, it happened. Tara heard the phrase that changed her life: Step on a crack, break your mother's back. Before Tara knew it, she was counting every crack in the sidewalk. Over time, Tara's "quirks" grew and developed: arranging her meals on plates, nonstop prayer rituals, until she developed a new ritual wherin she kissed her fingers and touched doorknobs....

Memoirs of an Imaginary Friend


Matthew Dicks - 2012
    . . real or otherwise.Budo is lucky as imaginary friends go. He's been alive for more than five years, which is positively ancient in the world of imaginary friends. But Budo feels his age, and thinks constantly of the day when eight-year-old Max Delaney will stop believing in him. When that happens, Budo will disappear.Max is different from other children. Some people say that he has Asperger's Syndrome, but most just say he's "on the spectrum." None of this matters to Budo, who loves Max and is charged with protecting him from the class bully, from awkward situations in the cafeteria, and even in the bathroom stalls. But he can't protect Max from Mrs. Patterson, the woman who works with Max in the Learning Center and who believes that she alone is qualified to care for this young boy.

Parenting ADHD Now!: Easy Intervention Strategies to Empower Kids with ADHD


Elaine Taylor-Klaus - 2016
    Watching your bright, vibrant child struggle with ADHD can make you feel helpless, especially when you don’t have the tools to help them succeed. There is a great deal of help available for children with ADHD, but there simply aren’t enough resources for parents of ADHD children—and you need support just as much as your child.The National Institute of Mental Health recognizes that frustration, blame, and anger are common in families with ADHD children. Children with ADHD need guidance and understanding from parents to reach their full potential. Yet it can feel impossible to manage the challenges you experience as a parent in order to be the support your child needs.Diane Dempster and Elaine Taylor-Klaus are ADHD coaches, educators, and the cofounders of ImpactADHD. They started off just like you, feeling frustrated and lost about how to help their ADHD children—and how to take care of themselves as well. Since that time, they have become national leaders in the world of ADHD, representatives of the voice of parents, and the go-to experts for parenting children with ADHD. They have successfully armed thousands of parents with the tools they need to help themselves and their children with ADHD.In Parenting ADHD Now! Diane and Elaine combine their practical know-how and professional expertise to offer immediate, actionable strategies you can use to guide and support your ADHD child compassionately and effectively.The material presented in this book is grounded in three main concepts: Apply the Coach-Approach to Parenting – This unique method gives you permission to pay attention to yourself, build up your own confidence and self-esteem, and apply these tools when working with your child with ADHD. Use Real, Practical Strategies – Learn to effectively navigate the complex terrain of ADHD, confidently minimize ADHD-related stress in your family, and foster your child’s independence. Focus on the Parent – This is not about “fixing” your ADHD child. This is about shifting your focus inward and empowering yourself so that you can empower your child as they navigate life with ADHD. You can dramatically improve life for your child with ADHD. With Parenting ADHD Now! you will learn to set healthy limits, find compassion and acceptance, change your habits, laugh instead of cry, understand instead of yell, and thrive instead of just survive.

Gender: A Graphic Guide


Meg-John Barker - 2019
    We’ll look at how gender has been ‘done’ differently – from patriarchal societies to trans communities – and how it has been viewed differently – from biological arguments for sex difference to cultural arguments about received gender norms. We’ll dive into complex and shifting ideas about masculinity and femininity, look at non-binary, trans and fluid genders, and examine the intersection of experiences of gender with people’s race, sexuality, class, disability and more.Tackling current debates and tensions, which can divide communities and even cost lives, we’ll look to the past and the future to ask how might we approach gender differently, in more socially constructive, caring ways.

Liked: Whose Approval Are You Living For?


Kari Kampakis - 2016
    The desire to be perfect. The need for approval. The longing for acceptance and being liked by a lot of people. Thanks to social media, these desires now get channeled online. Girls can curate an image, build a following, and test-drive identities until they find one that draws attention and applause. But in this quest to be liked and noticed, girls often fail to feel loved and known. The result is a generation of girls who hunger for real and authentic relationships - yet are unclear on how to create them.  From popular blogger and bestselling author Kari Kampakis comes a powerful book for girls in the digital age. Designed to empower teens and tweens through the Christian faith, it's packed with godly wisdom and practical advice related to identity,friendships, social media, and a relationship with God.  Topics covered include:*Living for God's approval, not human approval;*Cultivating a true identity;*Using social media wisely;*Building a positive reputation online;*Spreading kindness, love, and compassion;*Distinguishing online friends from real friends;*Building deep connections that last;*Handling rejection, criticism, and volatile emotions;*Activating your Christian faith; and *Making an eternal difference, not a temporary splash.For anyone exhausted by the quest to impress - and ready to rest in God's unconditional love - Liked is the answer. Written succinctly with thought-provoking questions, it's an ideal resource for a small group or youth group study, and a conversation-starter that will quickly unite mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends by speaking to the female heart.

A Quick & Easy Guide to Queer & Trans Identities


Mady G. - 2019
    A great starting point for anyone curious about queer and trans life, and helpful for those already on their own journeys!

On the Edge of Gone


Corinne Duyvis - 2016
    Denise and her mother and sister, Iris, have been assigned to a temporary shelter near their hometown of Amsterdam to wait out the blast, but Iris is nowhere to be found, and at the rate Denise’s drug-addicted mother is going, they’ll never reach the shelter in time.Then a last-minute encounter leads them to something better than a temporary shelter: a generation ship that’s scheduled to leave Earth behind and colonize new worlds after the comet hits. But each passenger must have a practical skill to contribute. Denise is autistic and fears that she’ll never be allowed to stay. Can she obtain a spot before the ship takes flight? What about her mother and sister?When the future of the human race is at stake, whose lives matter most?

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience


Tarana Burke - 2021
    Brené Brown bring together a dynamic group of Black writers, organizers, artists, academics, and cultural figures to discuss the topics the two have dedicated their lives to understanding and teaching: vulnerability and shame resilience.Contributions by Kiese Laymon, Imani Perry, Laverne Cox, Jason Reynolds, Austin Channing Brown, and moreIt started as a text between two friends.Tarana Burke, founder of the 'me too.' Movement, texted researcher and writer Brené Brown to see if she was free to jump on a call. Brené assumed that Tarana wanted to talk about wallpaper. They had been trading home decorating inspiration boards in their last text conversation so Brené started scrolling to find her latest Pinterest pictures when the phone rang.But it was immediately clear to Brené that the conversation wasn't going to be about wallpaper. Tarana's hello was serious and she hesitated for a bit before saying, "Brené, you know your work affected me so deeply, but as a Black woman, I've sometimes had to feel like I have to contort myself to fit into some of your words. The core of it rings so true for me, but the application has been harder."Brené replied, "I'm so glad we're talking about this. It makes sense to me. Especially in terms of vulnerability. How do you take the armor off in a country where you're not physically or emotionally safe?"Long pause."That's why I'm calling," said Tarana. "What do you think about working together on a book about the Black experience with vulnerability and shame resilience?"There was no hesitation.Burke and Brown are the perfect pair to usher in this stark, potent collection of essays on Black shame and healing. Along with the anthology contributors, they create a space to recognize and process the trauma of white supremacy, a space to be vulnerable and affirm the fullness of Black love and Black life.