These books have resolutions. Do you?

Vern McLellan wrote, “What the new year brings to you will depend a great deal on what you bring to the new year.” Maybe you’re considering new year’s resolutions, and maybe you aren’t, but what does it mean to create a ‘new you’ and, more importantly, do you need to reinvent yourself? We’ve gathered a list of excellent books and inspirational ideas that explore the themes of starting fresh, improving your life and staying true to yourself.

Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg

Rafe is tired of everyone focusing on his sexuality. His parents have supported him after he came out in eighth grade, but he wants people to see him for who he is beyond “that gay guy.” When he starts at a new all-boys school on the other side of the country, Rafe decides it’s his chance to start over and learn who he is without the label.  Yet the longer he takes to tell the whole truth, the more complicated things get. Soon Rafe will have to figure out what’s most important to him—a blank slate or being true to himself.

Darius The Great Is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Darius Kellner has never felt connected to his Iranian family or his Persian roots, but he’s about to spend a summer in Iran. He doubts he’s going to enjoy the summer considering he’s already dealing with his disapproving father and clinical depression, he can speak more Klingon than Farsi and he hasn’t had luck making friends with people who don’t speak the same language. Then he meets Sohrab, the son of his grandparents’ neighbors, and their friendship helps Darius find himself. He’ll have to find a way to bring his new-found sense of self home with him at the end of the summer. 

The Resolutions by Mia García

For four friends – Nora Nora, Lee, Jess and Ryan – their  their senior year has made it harder to stay close.  However, Jess has a plan to help them reunite. She decides they’ll reinstate their tradition of making resolutions but, instead of each of them picking their own resolutions, they’re going to pick resolutions for each other. What starts as a way to bring the friends closer together will end up testing their bonds as well as themselves.

What Do You Really Want? By Beverly K. Bachel

It’s easy to pick a resolution that sounds good, but if someone wants to make a change or reach a goal, it’s important to pick something that’s important and personal. What Do You Really Want can help you better, organize your thoughts, understand what your interests are and map out ways to get the things you desire most.

Get started

Regardless of your opinion on new year’s resolutions, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library is here to help and inspire you, and we’ve got the events to prove it!

Have you ever thought about starting a bullet journal? Register for a workshop on getting started with your own Bullet Journaling at Davidson on Jan. 7!

Want to give back to your community or need community service hours?  Check out Library community service projects! You can find a list of upcoming events here.

Looking for a little guidance on your future? Try out some of our College & Connection Programs such as the Drop In at Beatties Ford Road Regional Library  or the My Next Step event at South County Regional Library.

From all of us to you, we wish you a happy, healthy and wonderful new year.