FDL Reads: Black Birds in the Sky
Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre by Brandy Colbert
Reviewed by: Melissa Friedlund, Reference Specialist
Genre: American History (early 20th Century)
Suggested Age: Teen, Adult
What is the book about? It has only been in recent years that knowledge of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre has become more well-known. For decades, even the people of Tulsa didn’t acknowledge or often speak about it. What started as an attempt to lynch a young man accused of sexual assault, turned into a race riot that left churches, homes, and businesses burned to the ground, as well as hundreds dead. This book not only details the timeline of events that took place in Tulsa, Oklahoma on June 1st, 1921, it first lays the foundation with an explanation of culturally significant events and practices that contributed to the mob violence and destruction that devastated a thriving African American community.
My Review: I listened to the audiobook version of this book and found it to be incredibly enlightening. This is a cautionary tale about mob mentality and the darker side of human nature, especially when it comes to race relations. I found it extremely beneficial to have the background information laid out before the author went into the description of the exact events of this tragedy. Learning about events that may be disturbing or hard to accept give us a clearer picture of our predecessors and the society they lived in. This is critically important to understanding how our society today has developed into what we see around us and can help keep up from repeating past mistakes.
Three Words That Describe This Book: Illuminating, Educational, Revelatory
Give This a Try if You Like…Barracoon: The Story of the Last “Black Cargo” by Zora Neale Hurston, The 1619 Project: A New origin Story by Nikole Hannah-Jones, Four Hundred Souls edited by Ibram X. Kendi
Rating: 5/5
Find Your Voice Adult Writing Contest Winners!
We’re excited to announce the winners for the Find Your Voice Adult Writing Contest!
1st Place – Inaudible by Megan McCoy
2nd Place – Cracks by Rachael Stanford
Teen Winner – Finding Your Voice by Ella Headly
Congratulations to each of them, and thanks to everyone who submitted an entry! Follow the links below to read the winning stories. Our judges panel had a hard time selecting from the submissions we received, so keep writing and stay tuned for another writing contest this winter!
FDL Reads: Everything’s Fine
Everything’s Fine by Cecilia Rabess
Reviewed By: Jeremy Zentner, Adult Services Assistant
Genre: Contemporary
Suggested Age: Adults
What is This Book About? Jess studied math in college and eventually joined Goldman Sachs as a data-analyst, determined to survive the oppressive, cut-throat working conditions of financial investment. She runs into Josh, a fellow alumnus and a headache of arrogance from what she recalls. The two have different backgrounds and completely different political outlooks. As they continue to work together in their fast-paced rat race, Jess and Josh slowly come together in a passionate love affair, proving that opposites sometimes attract. The question is, can they overcome their differences? Should they even try? This book is a love story, but it is also a coming-of-age story, a story about racism in America, and a story about divisiveness in politics.
My Review: Once I started reading this book, I devoured it up. It is extremely raw and real and it doesn’t hold back any punches. Originally marketed as a romance novel, this book is so much more. I find the prose reminiscent of Chuck Palahniuk or Aimee Bender. It is direct, unforgiving, and provocative. Cecilia Rabess truly captivated my attention, offering insight into life as an African-American woman working in a business traditionally dominated by Caucasian men. We also get an interesting perspective on interracial relationships and relationships that involve people with opposing political viewpoints. There are some generational points of interest as well, as the protagonist describes her relationship with her father. This book is a complex story, to say the least, but definitely one worth reading.
Three Words that Describe this Book: romance, race, politics
Give This A Try if You Like… Yellowface, Black Buck, The Girl in the Flammable Skirt
Rating: 5/5
#FDL: Dark Academia Books
Dark academia is a TikTok subculture and book subgenre that can feature stories set in classic academic settings like Oxford University. It’s characterized by a high interest in the classics, calligraphy, Gothic architecture, and autumn imagery. Many times there is a central mystery or noir element to this type of fiction. Check out the list below for some dark academia titles in our collection!
A Deadly Education by Naomi Novik
Ghosts of Harvard by Francesca Serritella
Vicious by Victoria Schwab
The Maidens by Alex Michaelides
Goldfinch by Donna Tartt
The Starless Sea by Erin Morgenstern
The Invisible Life of Addie LaRue by V.E. Schwab
Jane Eyre by Charlotte Brontë
The Ninth House by Leigh Bardugo
A Discovery of Witches by Deborah Harkness
The Atlas Six by Olivie Blake
Rebecca by Daphne Du Maurier
The Queen’s Gambit by Walter Tevis
Mexican Gothic by Silvia Moreno-Garcia
Gideon the Ninth by Tamsyn Muir
Never Let Me Go by Kazuo Ishiguro
A Separate Peace by John Knowles
Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke
The Bell Jar by Sylvia Plath
– Post by Susie Rivera, Adult Services Specialist
#FDL is an update on all things Fondulac District Library and books.
Library Card Sign-Up Month: Fine Free + Fare Free!
Beyond our community, Library Card Sign-Up Month is celebrated in September by the American Library Association and libraries nationwide to remind everyone that a library card is the first step towards academic achievement and lifelong learning. So this September, sign up for a new FDL card, renew your expired card, or replace your lost card to be entered into a prize drawing for a Kindle tablet! Already have an FDL card in good standing? Use it to check out materials from FDL in September, and you could win a Kindle tablet, too! Encourage your friends and neighbors to get their library cards, and discover all of the great resources and programs available at FDL!
For more information about how to sign up for your library card, visit fondulaclibrary.org/library-cards/. To learn about FDL’s fine free policies, visit fondulaclibrary.org/fine-free-faq/. Check out ridecitylink.org to find CityLink’s routes and schedules, or see below for routes directly to the libraries.
Peoria Public Libraries
- Main: #10 Forrest Hill, #11 Western, #12 Heights, #14 Wisconsin
- Lincoln: #15 Lincoln
- McClure: #10 Forrest Hill
- Lakeview: #1 University
- North: #1 University
Fondulac District Library
Peoria Heights Public Library
Pekin Public Library
FDL Reads: The Cardboard Kingdom
The Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell
Reviewed By: Alice Mitchell, Youth Services Manager
Genre: Realistic fiction/fantasy (graphic novel)
Suggested Age: Kids (7-12)
What is This Book About? What kid doesn’t play make believe? These neighbors take their adventures to a whole new level! Every kid on the block works hard to make their own, unique character and creates a costume to join in the fun. Jack embraces his wicked side as the Evil Sorceress, kid finds her voice as the Banshee, Seth protects his mom as the Gargoyle, and many more! Each chapter, more and more kids join in, challenged by bullies, big brothers, and dragons alike.
My Review: I fell in love with this book from the first chapter. Every kid has their own chapter for us to get introduced and uses their imagination to come up with fun characters and stories. Their adventures are tons of fun and are only dampened by the onset of the school year. While there are a lot of laughs, there are plenty of serious topics covered as well. Self-confidence and expressing yourself emerge in multiple stories, but there’s also questions of identity, divorce, and absent parents.
Three Words that Describe this Book: kids being kids
Give This A Try if You Like… The Witches of Brooklyn by Sophie Escabasse, The Girl from the Sea by Molly Knox Ostertag, Stepping Stones by Lucy Knisley
Rating: 5/5