Staff Book Lists:
Lists of recommended books for various occasions and audiences: — Adult, Young Adult, or Childrens.
You can also request a personalized list of Childrens or Young Adult and Adult selections prepared by JMRL staff.
- Grief and Loss
Resources for all ages for those experiencing grief or loss
See all lists by Find it list adult - Fall Into Reading: An "On the Same Page" Podcast List
These books are mentioned in a reading recommendation segment from the OTSP podcast episode S. 6 E. 13!
See all lists by Find it list adult - Teens' Top Ten Winners 2022
The Teens' Top Ten is a "teen choice" list presented by the Young Adult Library Services Association, where teens nominate and choose their favorite books of the previous year! Nominators are members of teen book groups in fifteen school and public libraries around the country. Nominations are posted on the Thursday of National Library Week, and teens across the country vote on their favorite titles each year. Readers ages twelve to eighteen will vote online between August 15 - October 15 on the Teens' Top Ten site, ala.org/yalsa/teenstopten
See all lists by Find it list ya - Black Authors With Black Characters
Diverse books serve both as mirrors and windows of different human emotions and experiences. They offer a powerful opportunity to build community, increase empathy, and push back against bias and prejudice. These books were chosen for this list because they also feature cover representation. It is so powerful to see faces and bodies that look like your own reflected back to you on a book cover. Enjoy!
See all lists by Find it list adult - Divorce and Separation
Children's and Teen books about divorce and separation
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Literary Masterpieces Book Group (Gordon)
A book group that meets regularly to discuss literary classics. New members and visitors are welcome. This group currently meets on the first Thursday of the month via Zoom. This virtual program can be accessed both by Zoom online and by a toll-free phone number. Sign up to receive details.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Monday Night Book Club (Crozet) - September 2022-July 2023
Join this informal group for relaxed and stimulating book discussions. Newcomers always welcome. Drop by in person at the Crozet Library or sign up online for instructions on how to join this Zoom meeting by computer.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Celebrate International Day of Friendship!
International Friendship Day is recognized globally on July 30.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Brown Baggers (Central) June 2022 - May 2023
The Brown Baggers Book Club at Central meet on the third Thursday of the month 12-1pm
See all lists by Find it list adult - Spine Crackers Fall 2022
A Tween Book Club for ages 9 - 12 Second Thursdays @ Central Library 4:30 - 5:30 pm
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Oceans of Possibilities
Read something oceanic and check off a Summer Challenge 2022 activity
See all lists by Find it list ya - On the Same Page Podcast Summer Reading
These books mentioned in JMRL's On the Same Page podcase will help you complete this summer's reading challenge!
See all lists by Find it list adult - YA books to make you cry
Have a box of tissues ready! TW: Many of the books on this list deal with tough topics including abuse, death, mental illness, and more.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Disability Visibility: MG & YA books
Middle grade and young adult novels (and one nonfiction title) featuring characters with visible and invisible disabilities and chronic conditions
See all lists by Find it list ya - Girl Crush! MG & YA novels
Middle grade and young adult novels with f/f romance and identity discovery
See all lists by Find it list ya - Beyond the How-To Festival
Want more how-to? Check out these great titles from JMRL!
See all lists by Find it list adult - Gardening and Houseplants
Nurture the plants in your life with help from these selections.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Civil War, Reconstruction, and Black History
A selection of fiction and nonfiction books for adults.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Virginia Festival of the Book 2022
Virginia Festival of the Book will be held March 16-20 this year as a hybrid event, both in person and virtual. There is a full schedule of engaging discussions for all ages and interests. Check https://www.vabook.org/ for full details. Here is a list of books and authors you will find featured during the festival. Most of these books are available in multiple formats. If you're interested in large print, an ebook, audiobook, or a book on CD, search for the desired title in the catalogue search bar, and your results will include all formats.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Black History Month 2022: Black Health and Wellness
Check out https://asalh.org/ for more amazing resources, virtual events, and ways to get involved and connected.
See all lists by Find it list adult - SamePage 2022
A list of suggested titles related to the book We Are Not Free by Traci Chee
See all lists by Find it list adult - Celebrate Black Authors
Celebrating Black authors during Black History Month 2022
See all lists by Find it list ya - Mindfulness For Kids
Practicing Mindfulness helps children to notice the positives and get a perspective on the negatives. This assists in developing a sense of appreciation, gratitude and contentment.
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Kids book club recommendations
JMRL Bookaroos and Book Bites book group members love and recommend these books!
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Romance Free Books for Teens
Books for teens with little to no romance
See all lists by Find it list ya - #1000BlackGirlBooks - Teens
https://grassrootscommunityfoundation.org/1000-black-girl-books-resource-guide/
See all lists by Find it list ya - Jewish American Heritage Month for teens
Young Adult novels featuring Jewish American characters.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Environmental Titles for Earth Day
Celebrate Earth Day Every Day on April 22 and beyond! This list of fiction and nonfiction titles tackles environmental issues and plant-based eating, as well as climate and eco fiction. If you like this list, you may also want to check out our list titled "Climate Change Nonfiction": https://hestia.jmrl.org/findit/MyResearch/MyList/576
See all lists by Find it list adult - The Golden Collection
15 plays by prominent Black playwrights, donated in honor of Jeremy O. Harris. Learn more about the Golden Collection here: https://slaveplaybroadway.com/resources/
See all lists by Find it list adult - Many Cultures, Many Gifts, One Home: Diversity in Books for Teens
A list of books for teens representing diverse cultural heritage and backgrounds. Compiled for the 2021 Festival of Cultures.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Mental Health Resources
Books (and a few movies) on depression, anxiety, grief, addiction, and other mental health concerns. This list includes fiction, poetry, memoirs, and nonfiction.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Great Library Bake Off - Baking Books and DVDs
For those participating in the Great Library Bake Off, or anyone who feel the urge to create something delicious! We have much more than this, so we hope you'll make an appointment to browse the shelves at one of our libraries.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Virginia Festival of the Book 2021
Virtual event March 13-26, 2021. Most of these books are available in multiple formats. If you're interested in large print, an ebook, audiobook, or book on CD, search for the desired title in the catalogue search bar, and your results will include all formats.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Self Care
Information and methods related to self care, including: yoga, meditation, anti-anxiety practices, stress management, easy recipes, soothing hobbies, and more!
See all lists by Find it list adult - The Undefeated
More information about the people featured in The Undefeated by Kwame Alexander and Kadir Nelson.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Fandom and Geek Culture
Titles featuring fanfic, hacking, video games, fan art, comics, TV fandom and more.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Mental Health in Young Adult Literature
Books with characters who experience anxiety, depression, self-harm, OCD, ADHD, eating disorders, and more.
See all lists by Find it list ya - African American Authors
A sample of YA books by African American authors
See all lists by Find it list ya - Humorous Fiction
Get your happy on with a chuckle or an outright belly laugh with some humorous fiction. This list includes humor in tough situations, romantic comedy, satire, and more. Look for the tags!
See all lists by Find it list adult - African-American Athletes: A List for Adults
Inspired by Kwame Alexander's picture book The Undefeated, this list offers further reading about African-American athletes.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Civil Rights Movement: A List for Adults
Inspired by Kwame Alexander's picture book The Undefeated, this list offers further reading about the Civil Rights Movement.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Black Power Movement: A List for Adults
Inspired by Kwame Alexander's picture book The Undefeated, this list offers further reading about the Black Power Movement.
See all lists by Find it list adult - African American Inventors and Scientists: A List for Adults
Inspired by Kwame Alexander's picture book The Undefeated, this list offers further reading about African-American inventors and scientists.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Black Lives Matter: A List for Adults
Inspired by Kwame Alexander's picture book The Undefeated, this list offers further reading about the Black Lives Matter movement.
See all lists by Find it list adult - African American Poetry for Adults
A sample of poems by African Americans in the JMRL catalog.
See all lists by Find it list adult - In the Kingdom of Ice Read Alikes
Real-life adventures in cold climates and the ice that sustains them. Books on Tap January 2021
See all lists by Find it list adult - Goals, Motivation, and Habits
Books that will help you build new habits and break down old ones in pursuit of your goals.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Plays Written by Women
From classic to contemporary, browse a sampling of JMRL's collection of plays written by women.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Read Local: Virginia Authors For Teens
This list is a compilation of authors who live in the state of Virginia and write for teens.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Asian/Pacific American Heritage in Young Adult Literature
Books featuring Asian/Pacific American characters or themes.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Contemporary Native American & Indigenous Voices
Recent books for adults by Native American own voices.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Christian Fiction by Black Authors
Black authors writing novels with contemporary Christian themes. These books range from sweet to sizzling.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Historical Fiction - African Americans
This list contains older classic historical fiction titles and some newer titles. In all of them the main characters and the themes of the book focus on African Americans and their history and culture.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Humorous Teen Fiction
It feels great to sink into a good book—and even better when that book can elicit some laughs. These books feature different kinds of humor including dark humor, hyperbole/exaggeration, sarcasm, satire, surprise, irony and pun.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Philosophy Book Club List
Books covering works written by philosophers, as well as books about philosophy, or philosophical concerns such as happiness, meaning and freedom.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Indigenous Own Voices Stories
A list of stories written by indigenous people
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Virginia Genealogical Resources
Resources for genealogical researchers available for viewing at the Albemarle Charlottesville Historical Society Reading Room.
See all lists by Find it list adult - NaNoWriMo Resources
NaNoWriMo (national novel writing month) takes place every November, and challenges participants to write a novel in a month. This list should inspire and guide you all year long as you write. We've collected resources on craft, editing, and even marketing and selling your work.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Breathing for Health
These materials relate to breathing and meditation for health and wellbeing. Check out this list for books on how the smallest changes can make big impacts.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Star Wars Picks for Teens
Lovers of all things Star Wars Reads in the teen section of the library. We combined a selection of graphic novels and fiction for your enjoyment.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Quick Reads for Teens
Sometimes you just need a quick read - a short book that you can pick up and polish off fast.
See all lists by Find it list ya - Challenged + Banned Books 2015-2019
According to the American Library Association Office for Intellectual Freedom, these were the most challenged books between 2015-2019.
See all lists by Find it list adult - LatinX Experience Adult Fiction
During Latinx Heritage Month, JMRL is proud to highlight the cultures, contributions and resilience of Latinx, Hispanic and Latino-identified communities around the world.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Ready for YA? Staff Picks for Younger Readers
Books for those transitioning from the Children's to the Young Adult collection.
See all lists by Find it list ya - The Story of US Immigration in Young Adult Fiction and Non-fiction
Check out these titles about the stories of immigration and immigrants to the U.S.
See all lists by Find it list ya - The Story of US Immigration (Adult Non-Fiction )
In honor of Welcome Week 2020, which aimed to: “affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.” Check out this selection of titles to learn more about the story of immigration in the United States.
See all lists by Find it list adult - The Story of US Immigration (Adult Fiction)
In honor of Welcome Week 2020, which aimed to: “affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.” Check out this selection of titles to learn more about the story of immigration in the United States.
See all lists by Find it list adult - Celebrating Pride (Older Readers)
LGBTQ+ themed books for older readers
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Celebrating Pride (Younger Readers)
LGBTQ+ themed books for younger readers
See all lists by Find it list childrens - Black History Month - 2020 Theme: African Americans and the Vote
Selected books to celebrate Black History Month, February 2020.
See all lists by Katherine Perdue - Staff Picks
JMRL staff reads widely and is happy to share many 'good reads' with you. Here are some recommendations for this month's reading.
See all lists by Katherine Perdue