Books for the College Bound - Arts & HumanitiesLike this list

25 items

• Outstanding Books for the College Bound | YALSA

  View on ala.org

  These books provide an introduction to the fascinating variety of subjects within an academic discipline. This list is maintained and revised every five years by the Young Adults Library Services Association (YALSA). Learn more and review…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Go Ahead in the Rain

  Notes to A Tribe Called Quest

  Abdurraqib, Hanif, 1983-

  Add Go Ahead in the Rain to your for later shelf

  More than a musical biography, this is a coming of age story. Abdurraquib reflects on his own maturation and that of rap music through his relationship with A Tribe Called Quest.

• The Poet X

  Acevedo, Elizabeth

  Add The Poet X to your for later shelf

  Xiomara can’t hide from her neighbors or her family, but she can learn to understand herself through writing slam poetry.

• Love, Hate & Other Filters

  Ahmed, Samira

  Add Love, Hate & Other Filters to your for later shelf

  An Indian-American Muslim teen struggles to find balance between her dreams of being a filmmaker and her parents’ more conservative expectations. A horrific crime across the country makes things worse when it exposes the Islamophobia and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Symphony for the City of the Dead

  Dmitri Shostakovich and the Siege of Leningrad

  Anderson, M. T.

  Add Symphony for the City of the Dead to your for later shelf

  A captivating account of a genius composer and the brutally stormy period in which he lived.

• Making Comics

  Barry, Lynda, 1956-

  Add Making Comics to your for later shelf

  With the philosophy that “everyone can be creative,” Barry walks readers through her drawing exercises for her college course. Even readers who don’t think they can draw will be inspired to pick up a pen and some paper and try.

• Good and Cheap

  Eat Well on $4/day

  Brown, Leanne

  Add Good and Cheap to your for later shelf

  Not only does Brown offer recipes for nutritious, colorful meals that are filling, but she also provides tips for getting your money’s worth in the grocery store, how to make your food more flavorful, and illustrated kitchenware and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Pet

  Emezi, Akwaeke

  Add Pet to your for later shelf

  In this highly imaginative novel, a creature in a painting by Jam’s mother comes to life, seeking the true monster. Thought provoking concepts such as the nature of art, the meaning of evil, and the importance of forgiveness are explored…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Actor's Life

  a Survival Guide

  Fischer, Jenna, 1974-

  Add The Actor's Life to your for later shelf

  Part memoir and part craft education, The Office actress Jenna Fischer walks readers through her experience as a professional actor with humorous stories and practical advice.

• You're Welcome, Universe

  Gardner, Whitney

  Add You're Welcome, Universe to your for later shelf

  A teen graffiti artist finds her world thrown upside down after she is expelled from her Deaf school for creating an unauthorized mural to protect her best friend. Forced to navigate a mainstream school, Julia turns to her art, but even…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Let Me Hear a Rhyme

  Jackson, Tiffany D.

  Add Let Me Hear a Rhyme to your for later shelf

  Jackson brings to life the sound of 1990s Brooklyn in this crime mystery. When the Architect’s demo catches fire and music labels seek admittance, his friends attempt to prove his talent beyond the grave while also trying to solve his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up

  the Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing

  Kondō, Marie,

  Add The Life-changing Magic of Tidying Up to your for later shelf

  Kondo provides step by step guidance to removing the clutter from your home so that you can truly know and appreciate what matters in your life.

• Heavy

  An American Memoir

  Laymon, Kiese

  Add Heavy to your for later shelf

  Laymon recalls his journey growing up in the deep south, attempting to reconcile he and his mother’s memories of experiencing racism, abuse, and addiction as well as giftedness. As much a reflection on his life as a writer as it is his…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Modesty: A Fashion Paradox

  Uncovering The Causes, Controversies And Key Players Behind The Global Trend To Conceal Rather Than

  Lodi, Hafsa

  Add Modesty: A Fashion Paradox to your for later shelf

  Lodi explores the world of fashion from the perspective of women who choose modesty for any number of reasons and does not overlook the varied ways in which capitalism and politics can play a strong role even in the modest fashion…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• You Need a Budget

  the Proven System for Breaking the Paycheck-to-paycheck Cycle, Getting Out of Debt, and Living the Life You Want

  Mecham, Jesse, 1980-

  Add You Need a Budget to your for later shelf

  Learn how to create an effective and simple budget that helps you determine your financial priorities and use the money you have right now to get on a path toward achieving them with less stress.

• Hamilton

  the Revolution : Being the Complete Libretto of the Broadway Musical, With a True Account of Its Creation, and Concise Remarks on Hip-hop, the Power of Stories, and the New America

  Miranda, Lin-Manuel, 1980-

  Add Hamilton to your for later shelf

  Miranda provides a behind-the-scenes view of the popular musical about one of America’s founding fathers as well as insights into his thought processes as he wrote the musical.

• Burning Down the Haus

  Punk Rock, Revolution, and the Fall of the Berlin Wall

  Mohr, Tim

  Add Burning Down the Haus to your for later shelf

  The Berlin Wall could keep people out (and in) but they couldn't keep radio waves out. This is the tale of a small group of East German teens who became punk rockers in the 70s just like their Western counterparts. Here are the stories…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Broken Places & Outer Spaces

  Finding Creativity in the Unexpected

  Okorafor, Nnedi

  Add Broken Places & Outer Spaces to your for later shelf

  Okorafor shares her journey from athlete to creative writer. When she becomes paralyzed overnight, just after starting college, she is forced to reimagine her life’s purpose. Magical, inspiring, and humbling, Okorafor draws you in and…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• The Astonishing Color of After

  Pan, Emily X. R.

  Add The Astonishing Color of After to your for later shelf

  This novel weaves a beautiful and colorful story about finding oneself through family history, art, grief, and love. Following her mother’s spirit to Taiwan, Leigh encounters family secrets as she attempts to reconnect with her…Read moreRead more of this annotation

• Creative Quest

  Questlove

  Add Creative Quest to your for later shelf

  Questlove, leader of The Roots, meets the reader where they are in this inspirational work about the creative process.