Hover over the book titles for descriptions. Links to the right: the first is for students, faculty and staff of Lake Michigan College; the second is for any resident of Michigan.
See the bottom for links to reviews, reading lists and more.
William Hessel Library checks out to Students, Faculty, Staff, and Community members!
The House in the Cerulean Sea by
"A magical island. A dangerous task. A burning secret. Linus Baker leads a quiet, solitary life. At forty, he lives in a tiny house with a devious cat and his old records. As a Case Worker at the Department in Charge Of Magical Youth, he spends his days overseeing the well-being of children in government-sanctioned orphanages. When Linus is unexpectedly summoned by Extremely Upper Management he's given a curious and highly classified assignment: travel to Marsyas Island Orphanage, where six dangerous children reside: a gnome, a sprite, a wyvern, an unidentifiable green blob, a were-Pomeranian, and the Antichrist. Linus must set aside his fears and determine whether or not they're likely to bring about the end of days. But the children aren't the only secret the island keeps. Their caretaker is the charming and enigmatic Arthur Parnassus, who will do anything to keep his wards safe. As Arthur and Linus grow closer, long-held secrets are exposed, and Linus must make a choice: destroy a home or watch the world burn. An enchanting story, masterfully told, The House in the Cerulean Sea is about the profound experience of discovering an unlikely family in an unexpected place--and realizing that family is yours"-- Provided by publisher.
Somewhere Beyond the Sea by 
Flamer by
"It's the summer between middle school and high school, and Aiden Navarro is away at camp. Everyone's going through changes--but for Aiden, the stakes feel higher. As he navigates friendships, deals with bullies, and spends time with Elias (a boy he can't stop thinking about), he finds himself on a path of self-discovery and acceptance."--Page 4 of printed paper wrapper.
LGBTQIA+ books: (Diversity in YA, a website monitoring inclusion in today’s book world, qualifies these trends by two main criteria.) First, a book must have a main character who identifies as LGBTQ or deals with LGBTQ issues. Second, those issues must be overt and central to the plot.
The LGBTQ + History Book by 
They Came for the Schools by 
Indigiqueerness by 
In the Margins by 
The Pride Guide by 
Girls Can Kiss Now by 
Coming Out by 
Queer Career by