Book recommendations for the 2021 holiday season

Of all the fresh books, which titles make the best gifts? Carla Du Pree of CityLit Project narrows it down. She shares top picks, from "me too" activist Tarana Burke’s memoir to a novel about a daughter returning to her oil boomtown home, decades later. Du Pree was featured in the most recent issue of Bmore Art magazine. And from Baltimore City Librarian Paula Willey--titles for kids. She says the picture book "Outside, Inside," by LeUyen Pham offers a gentle way to reflect on the pandemic. For more suggestions, check out NPR's Books We Love list. Carla Du Pree's recommendations for adultsBecause You Just Oughta Books:"1619 Project: A New Origin Story," edited by Nikole Hannah-Jones"Unbound: My Story of Liberation and the Birth of the Me Too Movement," by Tarana Burke Raise Her Voice Books:"Girlhood," by Melissa Febos"White Magic," by Elissa Washuta"Brown Girls," by Daphne Palasi Andreades We Live in Other Worlds Books:"Hell of a Book," by Jason Mott"Speculation, n." by Shayla Lawz Show Some Local LitLove Books:"O Beautiful," by Jung Yun"Artists in Residency," by Melissa Wyse, Illustrations by Kate Lewis"Silent Winds, Dry Seas," by Vinod Busjeet"Stumbling Towards Grace," by Rosalia Scalia"Bride of the Seas," by Eman Quotah Paula Willey's recommendations for kids and teensExciting book series for independent readers:Aru Shah series by Roshani ChokshiTristan Strong series by Kwame MbaliaA Tale Dark and Grimm 3-book set by Adam GidwitzJasmine Green Rescues series by Helen Peters and Ellie Snowdon Graphic novels:History Comics seriesScience Comics series Read aloud books to shareVamos! series by Raul the Third"The Wind May Blow," by Sasha Quinton, illustrated by Thomas Hegbrook"Outside, Inside," by LeUyen Pham."Change Sings: A Children’s Anthem," by Amanda Gorman, illustrated by Loren Long Nonfiction:"Black Artists Shaping the World," Sharna Jackson and Zoé Whitley"We’re Better Than This: Young Readers' Edition: My Fight for the Future of Our Democracy," by Elijah Cummings"The Complete Cookbook for Young Chefs: 100+ Recipes that You'll Love to Cook and Eat," by America's Test Kitchen Manga readers:Fairy Tail box setAkira box set Teens:Raybearer series by Jordan Ifueko"Not So Pure and Simple," by Lamar Giles  Do you have a question or comment about a show or a story idea to pitch? Contact On the Record at: Senior Supervising Producer, Maureen Harvie she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1903 Senior Producer, Melissa Gerr she/her/hers [email protected] 410-235-1157 Producer Sam Bermas-Dawes he/him/his [email protected] 410-235-1472