By Sydney Smith

Rowan Public Library

All three branches of Rowan Public Library offer great selections of young adult literature titles for readers to enjoy.

With November quickly coming to a close, don’t hesitate to put yourself on hold for these awesome December young adult book releases, coming soon to the library shelves.

One of the most highly-anticipated YA releases of December is Tomi Adeyemi’s “Children of Virtue and Vengeance.” After her 2018 smash-hit, “Children of Blood and Bone,” readers have waited patiently for the sequel, and their wait will soon be over.

In “Children of Virtue and Vengeance,” Zélie and Amari are dealing with the aftermath of their attempts to bring magic back to their lands in the first book.

The ritual they performed was more powerful than they realized, reigniting the ancient powers of the elders and nobles in the land of Orïsha and creating a deadly power balance that threatens to become a civil war.

Can Zélie reunite the kingdom and restore peace before Orïsha is torn apart? Pick up a copy of “Children of Virtue and Vengeance” to find out.

Another upcoming December release comes from the mind of Printz award-winning author, Geraldine McCaughrean. Her newest book, “Where the World Ends,” is a historical fiction tale of a group of boys and men dropped off on a stony sea stack to hunt birds in the summer of 1727.

After their hunting ends, the group realizes that nobody is coming to pick them up from the stack like they normally would. After waiting for rescue to come, they begin to accept the fact that help probably isn’t on the way, even going so far to believe that the world must be ending. Learning to survive on the sea stack is their only option.

How will they cope with the unrelenting terrors of the open sea? To find out, look forward to this book’s release on Dec. 3.

If you’re looking for a new suspense young adult novel to enjoy, look no further than A.V. Geiger’s December  release, “Scared Little Rabbits.” In this tale, protagonist Nora is accepted into a prestigious summer program for young students interested in technology and coding.

The camp, located at the beautiful Winthrop Academy, is a prestigious honor for Nora to attend. During the camp, one of her fellow campers goes missing, and the high-tech trail of evidence puts Nora at fault for the crime. Nora must race against the clock to prove her innocence before another camper becomes a victim.

For even more exciting December young adult book releases, look no further than the shelves of Rowan Public Library. New books can be placed on hold before they are officially released into the collection. For more information about requesting a new title or putting a hold on a book, contact any branch of RPL for assistance.

Holiday closings: Headquarters (Salisbury), East Branch (Rockwell), and South Rowan Regional (China Grove) will close at 1 p.m. on Nov. 27. Headquarters, East and South will be closed Nov. 28-29. Regular hours resume Nov. 30.

Cards for a Cause: Through Dec. 18, headquarters, East and South. Create holiday cards that will be delivered to active service members in the U.S. armed forces and to veterans at the Hefner VAMC in Salisbury. Patrons can specify  their card(s) be delivered to a certain branch or to the VA. The deadline has passed for cards submitted for armed forces internationally; Dec. 6 is the deadline for cards distributed stateside. Cards submitted Dec. 7-18 will only be delivered to the VA. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Friends of RPL concert series: Nov. 21, 7 p.m., headquarters Based out of Wilkesboro, the Trailblazers perform a blend of Bluegrass, Americana, folk and jazz. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m. This free concert is open to the public, and all ages are welcome. For more information, call 704-216-8243.

Cards for a Cause and Saturday Cinema: Nov. 23, 10 a.m.-2 p.m., South. Create holiday cards for service members and veterans while enjoying Irving Berlin’s “White Christmas.” The two-hour film will be shown at 10 a.m. and noon. Light refreshments; free, open to the public; all ages are welcome. Participation in Cards for a Cause is not required, though both events will be held simultaneously in the Meeting Room. For more information, call 704-216-7727.

Gingerbread House Workshop: Nov. 30, 10 a.m.-noon, East. Families are welcome to attend this free program. Work together to create a gingerbread house. All supplies will be provided. A responsible caretaker (age 16+) must accompany children 8 and under. Registration is required and space is limited. To register and for more information, call Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Meet Your Neighbor, David Freeze: Nov. 25, 6 p.m., East. Meet Freeze as he presents pictures and stories from his latest solo biking adventure from Nevada to Alaska. Learn how his Rowan County roots have helped him develop his dreams of biking/running all 50 states. Refreshments and door prizes will follow. Sponsored by the Salisbury Rowan Runners Club. Call 704-216-7840 for more information .

Escape Room: Nov. 25, 4 p.m., headquarters; Nov. 26, 4 p.m., East. You’ve been asked to join the Guardians of the Galaxy, and your first mission seems to be going well until you’re captured! Solve puzzles and clues to escape in time. This Teen program is designed for rising sixth- through 12th-graders. For more information, call Sydney at 704-216-8229.

Scavenger Hunt: Through Nov. 30, Turkey Hunt, Headquarters, South. Can you find all the turkeys hidden throughout the children’s room?  Complete the challenge and get a prize! For more information, call 704-216-8234.

Scavenger Hunt: Through Nov. 30, Eye-Bomb Contest, East. It’s always fun to photobomb. Have you ever eye-bombed, though? Try to make funny pictures with googly eyes during our Scavenger Hunt. You will be entered into a raffle contest for a literary-themed prize. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

PJ Storytime: Nov. 25, 6:30 p.m., Headquarters. Children ages 12 and under may bring their favorite stuffed animal and listen to bedtime stories with Ms. Char. A responsible caretaker (age 16+) must accompany children 8 and under. Questions? Call 704-216-8234.

The Twelve Books of Christmas: Nov. 27-Dec. 23, East. On the first day of Christmas, I saw at my library 12 books wrapped for a reader like me! Check out 12, pre-wrapped children’s books and have a surprise for each day before the holidays. This exciting spin on your regular check-out routine is available through Dec. 23. For more information, contact Tammie at 704-216-7842.

Adventures with Mr. Robert: Nov. 23, 11 a.m., Headquarters. Building with Boxes. Everybody likes to build with wooden blocks. Now, you get to build even bigger structures with boxes. A responsible caretaker (age 16+) must accompany children 8 and under. Questions? Call 704-216-8234.

Char’s Stars: Fairy Tale Tea Party, Nov. 30, 11 a.m., headquarters. Children ages 12 and under may dress up as their favorite fairy tale character and listen to a special storytime. Light refreshments will be served. A responsible caretaker (age 16+) must accompany children 8 and under. For more details, call 704-216-8234.

Displays: Headquarters, Rustic Edge Soap by Rachel Mowery and Experimental Aircraft Association Chapter 1083 display; East, veterans by Glenn Hinson; South, original artwork by Kristen Trahan.

Literacy: Call the Rowan County Literacy Council at 704-216-8266 for more information on teaching or receiving literacy tutoring for English speakers or for those for whom English is a second language.