“A badass debut by any measure—nimble, knowing, and electrifying.” —Colson Whitehead, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of The Nickel Boys and Harlem Shuffle "...'My Monticello' is, quite simply, an extraordinary debut from a gifted writer with an unflinching view of history and what may come of it." — The Washington Post Winner of the Weatherford Award in Fiction A winner of 2022 Lillian Smith Book Awards A young woman descended from Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings driven from her neighborhood by a white militia. A university professor studying racism by conducting a secret social experiment on his own son. A single mother desperate to buy her first home even as the world hurtles toward catastrophe. Each fighting to survive in America. Tough-minded, vulnerable, and brave, Jocelyn Nicole Johnson’s precisely imagined debut explores burdened inheritances and extraordinary pursuits of belonging. Set in the near future, the eponymous novella, “My Monticello,” tells of a diverse group of Charlottesville neighbors fleeing violent white supremacists. Led by Da’Naisha, a young Black descendant of Thomas Jefferson and Sally Hemings, they seek refuge in Jefferson’s historic plantation home in a desperate attempt to outlive the long-foretold racial and environmental unravelling within the nation. In “Control Negro,” hailed by Roxane Gay as “one hell of story,” a university professor devotes himself to the study of racism and the development of ACMs (average American Caucasian males) by clinically observing his own son from birth in order to “painstakingly mark the route of this Black child too, one whom I could prove was so strikingly decent and true that America could not find fault in him unless we as a nation had projected it there.” Johnson’s characters all seek out home as a place and an internal state, whether in the form of a Nigerian widower who immigrates to a meager existence in the city of Alexandria, finding himself adrift; a young mixed-race woman who adopts a new tongue and name to escape the landscapes of rural Virginia and her family; or a single mother who seeks salvation through “Buying a House Ahead of the Apocalypse.” United by these characters’ relentless struggles against reality and fate, My Monticello is a formidable book that bears witness to this country’s legacies and announces the arrival of a wildly original new voice in American fiction.

Did you know manatees swim using farts? Or that herrings communicate by passing gas? Butts are used for breathing, eating, swimming, talking, and even killing in the animal kingdom. Focusing on ten different animals and their derrières, and offering fun facts about their origin, habitat, and "posterior power," this hilarious book captures the wonder of our ecosystem. Which animal has the coolest butt power? That's up to you to decide! An MASL Dogwood Reader's Award Title Towner Award Winner 2024 Texas Topaz Nonfiction Reading List Selection

Elizabeths oldest daughter, Jocelyn, was diagnosed with a rare, debilitating neurological disorder known as Rett syndrome. Since that instant, Elizabeth has been on the front lines of a battle to find a cure. Without the deep pockets of big pharmaceutical companies, she has orchestrated a grassroots fundraising army that is poised to beat the odds and cure her daughter and thousands of others. Jocelyns Journey exposes the devastating struggles a special-needs family experiences: physical struggles of an ill child, marital struggles, struggles to fit in with society, and struggles with questioning faith. Jocelyns Journey tells of how Elizabeth and her family have overcome hurdles and found faith in adversity. It will leave you with an overwhelming hope for their future and yours.

Danger and forbidden romance … England, 1688: Imperious and handsome, Sir Gaden Brehnt is on a mission to overthrow King James. Brehnt has made many enemies by joining sides with the usurper. Enemies that now threaten the lives and safety of those he cares about. Jocelyn Chambers is beautiful, stubborn and fiercely independent. She has her life planned out before her, and her plans do not include losing her freedom to the dictates of a husband. But when she tries to save her friend from a disastrous betrothal, she comes face to face with Gaden, a man who turns her ordered world upside down. Thrown together when she becomes an unwilling pawn in Sir Gaden’s mission, Jocelyn resists his arrogant authority as she is drawn deeper into his dangerous world. But she soon finds she has another battle to contend with – her traitorous heart as she becomes irresistibly drawn to this dark-haired knight. Everything is at risk: her life, her reputation, and, above all, her heart.

Jocelyn loves socks. She wears them everywhere . . . even in the bathtub! When a box of socks depicting different emotions arrives in the mail from her grandparents, she is ecstatic. After tearing open the package, she decides to wear a different pair of socks for when she’s happy, when she’s sad, and everything in between. Jocelyn soon discovers that her beloved new socks are not as exciting as they seem and are weighing her down. Can she learn how to manage her feelings and mix and match her socks to fit her every mood? Complete with a teacher's guide ideal for parents and educators.

Finalist, Helen Bernstein Book Award for Excellence in Journalism In the tradition of Eric Schlosser's Fast Food Nation, a groundbreaking global investigation into the industry ravaging the environment and global health—from the James Beard Award–winning journalist Over the past few decades, palm oil has seeped into every corner of our lives. Worldwide, palm oil production has nearly doubled in just the last decade: oil-palm plantations now cover an area nearly the size of New Zealand, and some form of the commodity lurks in half the products on U.S. grocery shelves. But the palm oil revolution has been built on stolen land and slave labor; it’s swept away cultures and so devastated the landscapes of Southeast Asia that iconic animals now teeter on the brink of extinction. Fires lit to clear the way for plantations spew carbon emissions to rival those of industrialized nations. James Beard Award–winning journalist Jocelyn C. Zuckerman spent years traveling the globe, from Liberia to Indonesia, India to Brazil, reporting on the human and environmental impacts of this poorly understood plant. The result is Planet Palm, a riveting account blending history, science, politics, and food as seen through the people whose lives have been upended by this hidden ingredient. This groundbreaking work of first-rate journalism compels us to examine the connections between the choices we make at the grocery store and a planet under siege.

Meg and Sylvie Townsend manage the family bookshop and care for their father, Stephen, a veteran still suffering in mind and spirit from his time as a POW during the Civil War. But when the Great Fire sweeps through Chicago's business district, they lose much more than just their store. The sisters become separated from their father and make a harrowing escape from the flames with the help of Chicago Tribune reporter Nate Pierce. Once the smoke clears away, they reunite with Stephen, only to learn soon after that their family friend was murdered on the night of the fire. Even more shocking, Stephen is charged with the crime and committed to the Cook County Insane Asylum. Though homeless and suddenly unemployed, Meg must not only gather the pieces of her shattered life, but prove her father's innocence before the asylum truly drives him mad.

In the summer Charlie and her grandmother dance in the light of the moon, and when Charlie returns to the city her grandmother assures her that when they are apart Charlie just needs to look at the moon, and they will be united together in its light, forever.

A modern, no-nonsense guide to getting rid of email anxiety, reclaiming your productivity, and spending more time on the work that matters. Let's face it: Email is killing our productivity. The average person checks their email 11 times per hour, processes 122 messages a day, and spends 28 percent of their total workweek managing their inbox. What was once a powerful and essential tool for doing our daily work has become a near-constant source of frustration, anxiety, and distraction from our work. Unsubscribe will show you how to tame your inbox and reclaim your focus, with tips on how to: Break free from email addiction and the "inbox zero" obsession Build a daily email routine that reduces stress and anxiety Process your inbox based on what (and who) really matters to you Write messages that get people to pay attention and take action Set boundaries and say "no" to time-wasting distractions Plan your day around meaningful work -- not busywork Productivity isn't about just "keeping busy," it's about leaving a legacy. Are you ready to Unsubscribe?

Jocelyn Meyers met Mark Denton, a gentleman navy officer from New Mexico while she s at a high school graduation party at Penny s Club with her close friend Marcie Rogers. Little did she know, her acquaintance with him will not only spark the beginning of a beautiful friendship but will also change both of their lives forever. In so many ways, Jocelyn and Mark were opposites. He was shy. She was gregarious. He needed time to himself. She found people interesting and exhilarating but did not mind being alone with her own thoughts. He liked to grow things and usually had a plant in his quarters. Mark took Jocelyn and her three brothers (Matthew, James, and Robert) to New Mexico to show them his world as a Navajo. On the other hand, Mark wanted to find out if Jocelyn could accept his family the same way he accepted hers. He had fallen in love with Jocelyn and wanted her to be his wife. But she never thought of their relationship as more than friendship. Did she really want to spend the rest of her life with Mark? What was it like to be in love with a Navajo man? Was she ready to commit to him?