Since becoming a Project LIT chapter, we’ve enjoyed reading and discussing Project LIT books with kids and teens. Last month, we were thrilled to see the announcements of new titles in the Winter 2021 Project LIT book list. We’re excited to share the list with you, and to highlight a couple titles that are of particular interest to our librarians. You can find the full Project LIT book lists for Middle Grade and Young Adult on the Reading Lists page of our website.

Middle Grade: Ashley’s Picks

Stand Up, Yumi Chung! by Jessica Kim
Libby
Library Catalog
This book has been on my radar for a while – I included it as a recommendation in my Dive Into Diversity blog post for Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month back in 2020. Now that it's a Project LIT pick, I hope to get around to reading and discussing it with our Project LIT Book Club for Kids & Tweens!

Healer of the Water Monster by Brian Young
Libby
Library Catalog
I'm really glad this book was picked as a Project LIT title since I hadn't heard of it before. It sounds like it'll be quite the interesting fantasy story and I look forward to reading it at some point!

Young Adult: Kat’s Picks

Firekeeper’s Daughter by Angeline Boulley
Libby / Library Catalog
This book was so overwhelmingly present on “Best of 2021” lists that I have moved it to the top of my to-read list. It’s a murder mystery set in an Indigenous community, with a smart and compelling main character.

We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
Libby / Hoopla / Library Catalog
This was one of my favorite books published in the last year, and I just can’t resist another opportunity to tell people about it. This book follows several Japanese-American families imprisoned in internment camps during World War II. I love that the story is narrated by quite a few different characters, giving a wide range of viewpoints.