You are the best YOU there is! 

Visit your Yorktown Public Library and let the celebration begin!

It may be difficult to shut out those voices (and videos/posts/news!) that make you doubt or question yourself.  We have all been there. In a world where you have 24 hour access to influencers telling you how to act, dress and live, this is your sign to take a moment to check out the materials at your Yorktown Public Library and celebrate all that make you uniquely YOU!

CHILDREN’S COLLECTION:

I Love You Because You are You by Liza Baker

In a poem about a mama fox's unconditional love for her cub, this book describes the many moods of all children--from happy to frightened, bashful to silly, and more--and will reassure them of their parents' abiding affection and approval. Truly remarkable watercolor illustrations by beloved illustrator David McPhail are the perfect complement to Liza Baker's rhythmic, rhyming text.

Bonus:  This material is also available as an audio book.

A Hug for You by Margaret Anastas

In this book, a parent tells a child all of the reasons for the well-deserved hugs they share.

Accept and Value Each Person by Cheri Meiners

The world is diverse, and so are the daily lives of our children. Accepting and valuing people and groups who are different from oneself and one's immediate family is a critical social skill. This book introduces diversity and related concepts: respecting differences, being inclusive, and appreciating people just the way they are. Includes questions, activities, and games that reinforce the ideas being taught.

I Color Myself Different by Colin Kaepernick

An inspiring story of identity and self-esteem from celebrated athlete and activist Colin Kaepernick.  When Colin Kaepernick was five years old, he was given a simple school assignment: draw a picture of yourself and your family. What young Colin does next with his brown crayon changes his whole world and worldview, providing a valuable lesson on embracing and celebrating his Black identity through the power of radical self-love and knowing your inherent worth.  I Color Myself Different is a joyful ode to Black and Brown lives based on real events in young Colin's life that is perfect for every reader's bookshelf. It's a story of self-discovery, staying true to one's self, and advocating for change... even when you're very little!

ADULT AND TEEN GRAPHIC NOVEL COLLECTION:

Unretouchable by Sofia Szamosi

Olive is spending the summer before art school at a coveted internship, helping one of the fashion industry's elite digital-imaging specialists. After a glamorous New York photo shoot, she learns that taking pictures is only the first step. She discovers the "violent verbs" (cut, crop, slice, lasso) of image retouching software and the secrets behind "virtual models."  Soon Olive is fixating on her own appearance and pondering the ethics of her work behind the scenes. As college gets closer, she'll try to get out of her own head, attempt to quit the Internet, and finally embrace image-making on her own terms. Unretouchable is a window into the little-known, hugely influential world of fashion photography and a tribute to self-acceptance.

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe

Maia's intensely cathartic autobiography is a journey of self-identity, which includes the mortification and confusion of adolescent crushes, grappling with how to come out to family and society, bonding with friends over gay fanfiction and what it means to be non-binary and asexual.  Gender Queer is more than a personal story: it is a useful and touching guide on gender identity--what it means and how to think about it--for advocates, friends, and humans everywhere.

BONUS:  This material is also available on the Libby App as an eBook and as an audio book.

In­vis­i­ble D­if­fer­ences: A S­to­ry of Asperg­er's, Adult­ing, and Liv­ing a Life in ­Ful­l ­Col­or by Julie Dachez

Meet Marguerite. She feels awkward, struggling every day to stay productive at work and keep up appearances with friends. She's sensitive, irritable at times. She makes her environment a fluffy, comforting cocoon, alienating her boyfriend. The everyday noise and stimuli assaults her senses, the constant chatter of her coworkers working her last nerve. Then, when one big fight with her boyfriend finds her frustrated and dejected, Marguerite finally investigates the root of her discomfort: after a journey of tough conversations with her loved ones, doctors, and the internet, she discovers that she has Aspergers. Her life is profoundly changed - for the better.

IN THE ADULT COLLECTION:

The Privilege of Youth: A Teenager’s Story of Longing for Acceptance and Friendship by Dave Pelzer

The #1 New York Times and #1 internationally bestselling author who is a shining example of what overcoming adversity really means now shares the final stage of his uplifting journey that has touched the lives of millions. Now this former lost boy who defeated insurmountable odds to emerge whole and happy at last takes us on his incredible odyssey toward healing and forgiveness.

Going Gray: What I Learned About Beauty, Sex, Work, Motherhood, Authenticity, and Everything Else That Really Matters by Anne Kreamer

Anne considered herself an impossibly youthful forty-nine until a casual glance at a family photograph stopped her in her tracks. There she was - behind carefully chosen clothes, meticulously dyed hair, and several rounds of Botox - looking (horror of horrors) exactly forty-nine. She set out for herself a program to let her hair become its true color and to discover her true self. This is an exploration of that experience and a frank investigation of aging.

The Reality Slap:  Finding Peace and Fulfillment When Life Hurts by Russ Harris

This book takes many different forms. Sometimes, it's more like a punch: the death of a loved one, a serious illness, a divorce, the loss of a job, a freak accident, or a shocking betrayal. Sometimes it's a little gentler. Envy, loneliness, resentment, failure, disappointment, and rejection can sting just as much. But whatever form your reality slap takes, one thing's for sure-it hurts! And most of us don't deal with the pain very well.  This book offers a four-part path for healing from crises based on acceptance and commitment therapy.

ON THE LIBBY APP:

I Love You Because You Are You by Liza Baker (audio book)

In a poem about a mama fox's unconditional love for her cub, this book describes the many moods of all children--from happy to frightened, bashful to silly, and more--and will reassure them of their parents' abiding affection and approval.

You Are What You Think by Dr. David Stoop (audio book)

"Attitude is everything." It's what makes the difference between those who succeed and those who fail. And it's easy to see-in other people. It's not as easy to recognize when our own attitude needs adjustment, or to know how to change it. In You Are What You Think, David Stoop shows readers how to use self-talk to make positive changes in their attitudes and beliefs. Self-talk can be private speech, thoughts, or external speech, all of which shape emotions and behavior for good or bad.

The Spark of You by Andrea Pippins (eBook)

This children’s book focuses on the spark in you! The spark in you shines when you smile. It sparkles when you dance. It glimmers and shimmers, zings, and pops! Your spark is festive and joyous and burns brightest when you are authentically being you. Set against the vibrant backdrop of Carnival, a little girl uses all her creative energy to get ready for the big parade.   Leaning into her Brazilian heritage, creator Andrea Pippins shares a window into the world of a young girl as she joins in the excitement of the parade. The spare text leaves room for the striking artwork to shine in a powerful display of community, individuality, and spirit.

The Way of the Tao- Living an Authentic Life by Dennis Walter (eBook)

This book is a  treatise and interpretation of Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching.  The Tao is an ancient philosophy of living in the natural world. It shows the way of how to get back to being your Authentic Self, your Spiritual Self. The Tao has the power to help you reclaim your life from the temporal ego identity that is imprisoning you. With the Tao you can discover your Authentic Identity by getting back to the being-ness and oneness of living in the Divine Consciousness.

The Doors of Joy: 19 Meditations for Authentic Living by Daniel Odier (eBook)

Daniel Odier's approach, which is based in part on his study of Chinese Zen, is refreshingly straightforward. All it requires is a willingness to disengage from our habitual ways of thinking and practice being present throughout the day. He calls his method, "The Practice of Consciousness." Its purpose is to unlock our spontaneity and recover our innocence and creativity.

Happy Singlehood:  The Rising Acceptance and Celebration of Solo Living by Elyakim Kislev (audio book)

This book charts a way forward for singles to live life on their terms, and shows how everyone-single or coupled-can benefit from accepting solo living. Based on personal interviews, quantitative analysis, and extensive review of singles' writings and literature, this book uncovers groundbreaking insights on how unmarried people create satisfying lives in a world where social structures and policies are still designed to favor marriage. This book investigates how singles nurture social networks, create innovative communities, and effectively deal with discrimination. Happy Singlehood challenges listeners to rethink how single people organize social and familial ties in new ways, how educators, policymakers, and urban planners should cater to their needs.

Accept, Reflect, Commit: Your First Steps to Addition Recovery by The Adams Recovery Center (eBook)

Are you mired in active addiction and struggling to find a way out? Are you concerned for a loved one whose life is being controlled by drugs or alcohol? This book offers the resource you need to prepare for treatment, choose the right recovery program, and successfully achieve and sustain sobriety.  Based on expert clinical experience, Accept, Reflect, Commit gets readers ready for the recovery journey, enabling them to take inventory of their lives and start thinking about concepts such as:  Trusting the process, victim mentality, people-pleasing and forgiveness.

I Am Me: A Book of Authenticity by Susan Verde (eBook)

Sometimes we hide who we really are to conform to the way we think we are supposed to be in the world. From author Susan Verde and illustrator Peter H. Reynolds, the #1 New York Times bestselling team behind the I Am series, comes a bighearted celebration of individuality, being comfortable in our own skin, respecting others for who they are, living authentically, and loving ourselves. For anyone who's ever felt like too much or not enough, I Am Me is an affirming reminder that difference is what makes life beautiful--and that each of us matters, just as we are.

Letting Go of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You’re Supposed to Be and Embrace Who You Are by Brené Brown (eBook)

For over a decade, Brené Brown has found a special place in our hearts as a gifted mapmaker and a fellow traveler. She is both a social scientist and a kitchen-table friend whom you can always count on to tell the truth, make you laugh, and, on occasion, cry with you. What transforms this book from words on a page to effective daily practices are the ten guideposts to wholehearted living. The guideposts not only help us understand the practices that will allow us to change our lives and families, they also walk us through the unattainable and sabotaging expectations that get in the way.

Advocating for Yourself by Abby Colich (eBook)

For today’s children, who experience much of their day online and in virtual settings, working with a group of peers can be stressful. As a result, these titles in the Working Together series (5 new titles) aim to provide students with social and emotional skills needed to contribute and collaborate successfully.

The staff at your Yorktown Public Library appreciates you and encourages you to visit soon.  You are always welcome.  Thank you for being YOU!