city and town life

"Peter Thompkins needs a public image overhaul. After a tense confrontation with one of the few other queer kids in his small-town high school, rumors about him are becoming more elaborate by the day. Meanwhile, his best friend Alan (aka teen drag queen Aggie Culture) is throwing Mason County's debut Drag Extravaganza. Although Peter is a self-described 'dragnostic,' he decides to help produce the show, hoping to prove that he isn't a self-hating gay. In the process, he finds himself facing down angry guard dogs, angrier bigots, and a very high-strung church lady. As backlash grows, Peter begins to wonder whether he's setting fire to his already damaged reputation and if his friendship with Alan will survive past curtain call"--Provided by publisher.

Told with interstitial historical chapters, fourteen-year-old Ta?na (Ty) must draw from the strength of her Ta?no ancestors to bring her family and community hope and healing after a devastating incident.

While working at Pink Mountain Pizza, three teens--overachiever Berlin, high school dropout Cameron and rich girl Jessie--find their weekend taking unexpected turns, forcing them all to acknowledge the various ways they've been hurt--and how much they need each other to hold it all together.

Teens Hannah and Noah, who each have different ideas of how to spend Hanukkah, team up to save the last Jewish remnant in small-town Texas.

Eleven-year-old April must come to terms with the sudden death of her best friend, Zee.

"After a long, cold winter, doors finally open, and children spill out like candies from a box. Amanda is the last one out of the apartment building, with a carton of chalk in her hands. On every inch of the pavement outside, the children draw pictures of flowers and trees, mushrooms and snails, and a few very unexpected things. It's a concrete garden. Their creativity, unfettered in the open air, brings something beautiful, something hopeful, to the residents there, and to many more across the globe"--Provided by the publisher.

Upset that her neighborhood is being torn down and replaced by fancy condos and coffee shops, Saint, along with her new friend Daniel, hatches a plan to save what is left of her beloved hometown.

Twelve-year-old Stan and Elpidia find hope in an unexpected friendship as they navigate challenging family circumstances and a dangerous local gang in the desolate Southern California desert.

"Stephen King's 'Holly' marks the triumphant return of beloved King character Holly Gibney. Readers have witnessed Holly's gradual transformation from a shy and reclusive (but also brave and ethical) homebody in Mr. Mercedes to Bill Hodges's partner in Finders Keepers and End of Watch to a full-fledged, smart and occasionally tough private detective on her own in The Outsider and If It Bleeds. In this new novel, Holly once again claims the spotlight, and must face some of her most depraved adversaries yet. When Penny Dahl calls the Finders Keepers detective agency hoping for help locating her missing daughter, Holly is reluctant to accept the case"--Provided by publisher.

"The small town of Beacon Point has always been plagued by eerie local legends. It's a town where disappearances are common, strange creatures have been sighted with unnerving frequency, and a ghastly secret lurks in the woods. The adults in town are oblivious to these strange occurrences. Others prefer not to talk or even think about them. But over the course of several terrifying nights, a group of kids will come face-to-face with the horrors hiding within their sleepy town. Guided by the mysterious radio host Alan Graves, they must work together to follow the clues to a frightful secret--before it eats them alive"--Provided by publisher.