‍The Book Report by Rebecca Traver - Our Online Bookshop Curator

Welcome to the Book Report! I’m so pleased to be meeting you here to share our latest featured list in honor of June being Pride Month – The Journey of Gender + Identity: Embracing & Celebrating Diversity in the Modern World. No matter where you may personally identify on the long spectrum of gender identity, I believe that connecting with a variety of points of view is vital if you are looking to be a genuine and effective ally to others. And I trust, dear reader, that that describes you.

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Also included in this report is a selection of New + Newly Discovered titles; a special group of Books for Young and Young at Heart Readers; and a couple of Just Because + Just for Fun offerings. 

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I hope you enjoy what you find here and know that, as always, 

I am honored by the privilege of taking up space in your inbox.

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“A lot of my work is to stay grounded, is to stay spiritual. It is to disconnect from what other people say about me, but also to try and be connected to the joy and the love.”

~Laverne Cox

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Featured List | The Journey of Gender + Identity: Embracing & Celebrating Diversity in the Modern World

The ABCs of Queer History by Seema Yasmin with illustrations by Lucy Kirk is a beautiful picture book brimming with P for Pride, celebrating all the joys and challenges of queer history in the United States through lively, rhyming verse and bright, colorful artwork.

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Affirmations for Queer People: 100+ Positive Messages to Affirm, Empower, and Inspire from Jess Vosseteig presents an accessible and practical approach to further celebrate, empower, and affirm queer identity and the community which acknowledges the value of dreaming big and supporting one another.

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Queer Power Couples: On Love and Possibility by Hannah Murphy Winter with photographs by Billie Winter is a celebration of queer love and excellence through profiling fourteen LGBTQ+ leaders in film and TV, the music industry, journalism, academia, fine art, and nonprofits.

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How It Works Out by Myriam LaCroix is a genre-bending, arresting, uncanny exploration of queerness, love, and the drive for connection – in any and all possible worlds.

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Married Women Who Love Women: And More... by Carren Stock offers support and advice for women in heterosexual marriages who discover, or are coming to terms with, their lesbianism or bisexuality. It also offers guidance for the single lovers of married women. Updated throughout with contemporary understanding of sexuality and gender, this book includes a wealth of information, fresh narratives, and stories offering insight into women’s experiences across the country.

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Been Outside: Adventure of Black Women, Nonbinary, and Gender Nonconforming People in Nature by Amber Wendler and Shaz Zamore is a collection of essays and poems by leading Black women and nonbinary scientists exploring how experiences in the natural world and life sciences shape the self. 

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To view the entire list, click here.

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“There will not be a magic day when we wake up and it’s now okay to express ourselves publicly. We make that day by doing things publicly until it’s simply the way things are.”

~U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin 

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New + Newly Discovered

Tai Ji Foundations translated from the works of five generations of Wu Hao Tai Ji Quan masters by Pang ChaoSun (available in both a hardcover and a paperback format) is a collection of written works from five generations of Wu Hao Tai Ji masters. These texts provide a wealth of knowledge, both theoretical and practical as they suggest ways to approach some of the more difficult and intriguing principles such as: “Leading four ounces to defeat a thousand pounds”; “Qi sinks to the Dan Tian”; “Leading to emptiness, borrow force to strike back”, and more.

Nothing Can Stop You: A Revolutionary Guide to Unleash Your Authentic Self by Erin Rachel Doppelt is an invitation for all people to take up space in this world, become an active participant in their own life, and show up as their most authentic Self. With the transformational practice “Accounting for the Soul,” the author shows readers how to get clear on what individual authenticity and audacity looks like and how to live in accordance with it.

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From Elder to Ancestor: Nature Kinship for All Seasons of Life by S. Kelley Harrell explores the spiritual, cultural, and ancestral aspects of aging well and presents practical exercises and rituals to help you intentionally craft yourself as a fit elder on the path to Ancestorhood.

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The Eye of Odin: Nordic Mythology and the Wisdom of the Vikings by Per Henrik Gullfoss combines classic astrology with Norse mythology, blending both in order to get a deeper understanding of human consciousness itself.

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Throwing Bones, Crystals, Stones, and Curios by Mystic Dylan guides us to create a divination system that delves deep into your psyche to help you peer into the future, explore your past, and address issues in your present.

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Secrets of Greek Mysticism: A Modern Guide to Daily Practice with the Greek Gods and Goddesses by George Lizos is the first spiritual book about the Greek gods and goddesses written by a native, practicing priest of Hellenic Polytheism. It goes beyond the simplistic and archetypal representation of the Greek pantheon and instead introduces the gods and goddesses from a theological perspective.

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Wisdom Within: Quiet Your Mind and Journey Through to the Wisdom Within from Leah Shoman is an extraordinary eighty-eight mini-card deck crafted to facilitate self-reflection and deepen self-awareness.

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A Doodle a Day Keeps the Stress Away: Quick Creativity for Instant Calm from Tamara Michael helps to break the cycles of stress, anxiety, and intrusive thoughts by using interactive doodling prompts. 

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Crystals: Your Plain & Simple Guide to Choosing, Cleansing, and Charging Crystals for Healing by Cass & Janie Jackson is a clear and practical guide illuminating the many ways crystals can help to heal physical, emotional, and spiritual problems. Learn to work with them to aid in meditation and visualization, clear a room of negative energy, and survey possibilities for your future.

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The Spiritual Power of Empathy: Develop Your Intuitive Gifts for Compassionate Connection by Cyndi Dale shows us how to discover our innate empathic abilities in this hands-on training course to learn how to comfortably use empathy for better relationships and healing ourselves and others.

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Evolving While Black: The Ultimate Guide to Happiness and Transformation on Your Own Terms from Chianti Lomax is a Black woman’s guide to authentic happiness, healing, and radical transformation on their own terms. With honesty and warmth, this book welcomes us into a flourishing space of growth and self-discovery.

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When You Care: The Unexpected Magic of Caring for Others by journalist Elissa Strauss weaves historical anecdotes and science with conversations with parents and caregivers to the young, old, disabled, ill, and more, revealing a rich array of insights about how care shapes us on the inside and the outside – for the better.

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At the Stroke of Eternity: One Woman's Remarkable Near-Death Experience and the Divine Messages Received is an extraordinary first-hand account from author Amber Cavanagh, an empath, healer, and psychic medium who caught a glimpse of the Other Side during a gripping near-death experience.

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Presence: The Art of Being at Home in Yourself from meditation teacher Tracy Cochran is a collection of vibrant essays from her storied life, giving plenty of encouragement to reframe and dive deep into our own experiences. 

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As Long as You Need: Permission to Grieve by J.S. Park offers readers an honest and unrushed engagement with grief, decoding four types of grieving – spiritual, mental. physical, and relational – and offering compassionate self-care and soul-care along the way.

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Grief is a Sneaky Bitch: An Uncensored Guide to Navigating Loss by therapist Lisa Keefauver is another take on the process of grief, creating a safe place to be inside the messiness of it all, discovering the full spectrum of grief, and finding the tools to help us move forward – not on.

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Kingdom of Play: What Ball-Bouncing, Belly-Flopping Monkeys, and Mud-Slinging Elephants Reveal About Life Itself from acclaimed science writer David Twomey is a charming and revelatory look at the science behind why animals play – showing us that life, at its most fundamental level, is playful.

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The Light Eaters: How the Unseen World of Plant Intelligence Offers a New Understanding of Life on Earth by Zoë Schlanger delivers a groundbreaking work of popular science that probes the hidden world of the plant kingdom and reveals the astonishing capabilities of the green life all around us. I love this book and think you will too.

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To view the entire list, click here.

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Books for Young Readers + the People Who Love Them

The Vibes Book by Hannah Clarke with illustrations by Aki is a sweet and vibrant story about something that’s all around us and has an astounding impact on our live, even though we can’t touch or see them – the power of vibes!

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Gaga Mistake Day by Emma Straub and Susan Straub, illustrated by Jessica Love, is a deliciously goofy, endlessly creative, and bursting with love grandma- grandchild story!

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Zuni and the Memory Jar from Aisha Saeed with illustrations by Neha Rawat is a deceptively simple story for young and old alike – a reminder to celebrate the everyday joys in life along with the grand achievements. 

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Inside Out and Back Again is inspired by author Thanhhà Lai’s childhood experience as a refugee – fleeing Vietnam after the fall of Saigon and immigrating to Alabama – in this coming-of-age novel beautifully expressed in verse.

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Orris and Timble: The Beginning from beloved storyteller Kate DiCamillo, illustrated by Carmen Mok, is the first book in a warm and funny early-reader trilogy about a misanthropic rat and a naïve owl and the beginning of their special friendship.

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The Truth About Dragons by Julie Leung with illustrations by Hanna Cha is an unforgettable lyrical picture book that celebrates biracial identity through the adventures of a young child being guided by his mother’s bedtime storytelling.

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“Let us dance in the sun, wearing wildflowers in our hair.”

~Susan Polis Schutz

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For more books for young readers click here!

Para libros para lectores jóvenes en Español haga clic aqui!

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Just Because + Just for Fun

Reading the Room: A Bookseller's Tale by long-time City Lights Books, San Francisco book buyer Paul Yamazaki, is a love letter to the work of bookselling and an engaged life of the mind. Navigating building trust with readers and nurturing relationships across the literary industry, Yamazaki testifies to the value of generosity, sharing knowledge, and dialogue in a life devoted to books.

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Road Trip Games: 50 Fun Games to Play in the Car from Lucy Jones with illustrations by Shelby Warwood is a brilliant asset for keeping you and your friends entertained on your next road trip. You know you want this.

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“Like a welcome summer rain, humor may suddenly cleanse and cool the earth, the air, and you.”

~Langston Hughes

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Please visit our online Bookshop to see our full selection of lists and titles.

Thank you for supporting local, independent bookstores! 

We love connecting with you in the shop and online.

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May you be inspired, supported, and enriched by what you find here.