Spanish Peaks Library District

When her best friend Zoe breaks her arm during a dare, Anna finds herself braving summer camp, and being a counselor-in-training on her own. Being in Zoe's shadow had been comfortable, but now Anna's out in the open, and facing some harsh truths.

Hailed by The New York Times as "a compelling dystopian look at paranoia from one of the most unique and perceptive writers of our time," this brief, captivating novel offers a cautionary tale. The story unfolds within a society in which all traces of individualism have been eliminated from every aspect of life — use of the word "I" is a capital offense. The hero, a rebel who discovers that man's greatest moral duty is the pursuit of his own happiness,...

A young boy describes himself as "loud as a lion," "quiet as a clam," "tough as a rhino," and "gentle as a lamb."

Tapir has a new notebook and pencils but, unlike his friends, can think of nothing to write and is ready to give up when he finds a better way to communicate--through drawing.

Rhyming verses describe many of the reasons for celebrating one's unique qualities.

"One day it rains hearts, and Cornelia Augusta catches them. Each heart is special in its own way. Cornelia Augusta knows exactly who to send them to."

Piper and her little brother Otto, who is on the autism spectrum, are excited to attend a birthday party for their friend Ruthie. In kid-friendly language, Piper explains the accommodations Otto and Ruthie, who is also autistic, need in order to feel safe and secure in a stimulating new environment, such as wearing headphones to keep distracting noises muffled. The book provides explanations for Otto's differences in easy-to-understand language and...

Having learned to be creative in drawing pictures at home, young Tommy is dismayed when he goes to school and finds the art lesson there much more regimented.

Nancy wants to adopt a special puppy so that she is no longer the only fancy member of her family, but after a day of puppsitting a papillon, she realizes that being fancy is not always the most important thing.

Social scientist Bren̐Μe Brown, PhD, LMSW, has sparked a global conversation about the experiences that bring meaning to our lives -- experiences of courage, vulnerability, love, belonging, shame, and empathy. Now Brown redefines what it means to truly belong in an age of increased polarization. Brown argues that we're experiencing a spiritual crisis of disconnection, and introduces four practices of true belonging that challenge everything we believe...