The Secret Summer Promise

THE BSE (Best Summer Ever) LIST! 1. Blueberries 2. Art show in ShoeHorn 3. Lizzo concert 4. Thrift shop pop-up 5. Skinny Dipping at the lake house 6. Amusement Park Day! 7. Drew Barrymarathon 8. Paintball day Oh, and …. 9. Fall out of love with Hailee Andrea Williams has got this. The Best Summer Ever. Two summers ago, she spent all her time in bed, recovering from the latest surgery for her cerebral palsy. She's waited too long for adventure and thrills to enter her life. Together with her crew of ride-or-die friends, and the best parents anyone could ask for (just don't tell them that), she's going to live it up. There's just one thing that could ruin it: Her best friend, Hailee, finding out Andrea's true feelings. So Andrea WILL fall out of love with Hailee – even if it means dating the cute boy George who keeps showing up everywhere with a smile. Do we want Andrea to succeed? No! Does she? We're not telling! Keah Brown is a journalist, screenwriter, and author who has written for places such as Teen Vogue, Elle, Harper's Bazaar, and the New York Times. She is also the creator of #DisabledAndCute. Now, in her YA debut of nerdy queer love, Keah gives us the perfect summer read and cast of characters to fall in love with.

From the disability rights advocate and creator of the #DisabledAndCute viral campaign, a thoughtful, inspiring, and charming collection of essays exploring what it means to be black and disabled in a mostly able-bodied white America. Keah Brown loves herself, but that hadn’t always been the case. Born with cerebral palsy, her greatest desire used to be normalcy and refuge from the steady stream of self-hate society strengthened inside her. But after years of introspection and reaching out to others in her community, she has reclaimed herself and changed her perspective. In The Pretty One, Brown gives a contemporary and relatable voice to the disabled—so often portrayed as mute, weak, or isolated. With clear, fresh, and light-hearted prose, these essays explore everything from her relationship with her able-bodied identical twin (called “the pretty one” by friends) to navigating romance; her deep affinity for all things pop culture—and her disappointment with the media’s distorted view of disability; and her declaration of self-love with the viral hashtag #DisabledAndCute. By “smashing stigmas, empowering her community, and celebrating herself” (Teen Vogue), Brown and The Pretty One aims to expand the conversation about disability and inspire self-love for people of all backgrounds.

In her debut middle grade novel—inspired by her family’s history—Christine Day tells the story of a girl who uncovers her family’s secrets—and finds her own Native American identity. All her life, Edie has known that her mom was adopted by a white couple. So, no matter how curious she might be about her Native American heritage, Edie is sure her family doesn’t have any answers. Until the day when she and her friends discover a box hidden in the attic—a box full of letters signed “Love, Edith,” and photos of a woman who looks just like her. Suddenly, Edie has a flurry of new questions about this woman who shares her name. Could she belong to the Native family that Edie never knew about? But if her mom and dad have kept this secret from her all her life, how can she trust them to tell her the truth now?

A joyful picture book about a disabled girl with cerebral palsy who goes back-to-school shopping with her best friends, from #DisabledandCute creator and The Pretty One author Keah Brown. Sam loves herself, learning, and making her family and friends laugh. She also loves comfortable seats, including a graceful couch named after Misty Copeland and Laney, the sassy backseat of Mom’s car. After a busy morning of rest, Sam and her friends try on cute outfits at the mall and imagine what the new school year might bring. It’s not until Sam feels tired, and the new seat she meets isn’t so super, that she discovers what might be her best idea all day. With hilarious, charming text by Keah Brown and exuberant illustrations by Sharee Miller, Sam’s Super Seats celebrates the beauty of self-love, the power of rest, and the necessity of accessible seating in public spaces. Includes narrative description of art for those with low/limited vision.

With the heat of summer comes the warmth of sunlight, shadows of the past, and Miriam’s chance to win the heart of the only man she’s ever loved—her husband. The death of Jakob Lapp, a beloved member of the Amish community and the builder of the Stonyfield Farm Stand, is difficult for all. On the day of Jakob’s funeral, his beloved daughter Miriam must deal with her grief as well as mounting apprehension, knowing that she will soon see her sister Sarah who left the Amish community to live the Englisch life several years ago. Sarah’s arrival forces Miriam to face the problems in her marriage. She has been unable to give her husband, Daniel, a child and fears he is not happy. Miriam has always suspected that Daniels’s heart truly lies with her sister, and she worries about the effect Sarah’s return will have on their already strained marriage. But when a disaster threatens the farm stand, everyone must come together, allowing new hope to grow not only for the community, but for Miriam as well . . . FIRST IN A NEW SERIES!

Can she leave everything she knows for love? Summer Carson has lived near the Amish community in Paradise, Pennsylvania, all her life. Now she's following in her father's footsteps and earning her degree in agricultural science so she can continue his work helping local farmers. In her job at the county extension office, Summer moves between the Englisch and the Amish worlds. While she sometimes finds herself speaking⁠—and even thinking⁠—in Pennsylvania Deitsch, the transition isn't always easy. But what has come naturally to Summer is her attraction to one of the farmers: Abram Yoder is handsome, steady, and hardworking. He's everything so many of the Englisch men she knows are not. And Summer quickly realizes that she's caught his eye as well. Can Summer give up the comforts she's always known for a life with this Amish man? And is Abram willing to let her try?