Tag Archives: CECH Library Blog

CECH Library Spotlight: Harriet Versus the Galaxy by Samantha Baines

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CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

This book was purchased with funding provided by a 2024 CECH Diversity Grant and selected using the Framework for Selecting Children’s Literature With d/Deaf Representation created by Emma Kist’s ASL 2003 students.

Harriet Versus the Galaxy / written by Samantha Baines (2019)

If you were ever a fan of The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl, Samantha Baines’ debut juvenile book Harriet Versus the Galaxy would be right up your alley.

The novel follows Harriet Green, a ten-year old from England who happens to be hard of hearing. After moving in with her Gran, she learns that her hearing aid can do more than just help her hear. She can understand alien languages. One day she’s moving in with her Gran, the next she’s being tasked to save Earth from aliens! 

Baine explores more than just Deafness* throughout her novel, however. Gender identity, while small in detail, makes a mighty difference in the way it is presented in this novel. Baines shows readers that gender identity is a topic for all ages and can be mentioned without trauma being present. This novel represents the Deaf* and gender identity with compassion without calling attention to them. 

Throughout the novel, Baines takes the opportunity to explore how bullying can have an effect on children, and how to handle it with grace. Harriet Versus the Galaxy stands tall and teaches readers how to be brave in the face of a problem, and how to be compassionate to one another without putting another person down. In the end, this book helps to encourage all of us to authentically be ourselves. 

Throughout the novel, you can find artwork reminiscent of Diary of a Wimpy Kid or The Dork Diaries. With illustrations from Deaf artist Jessica Flores, you truly feel like you are with Harriet as she learns about the world of aliens — or should I say galaxy?

This book is available for checkout in the CECH Library.

NOTE: In alignment with the UC ASL/Deaf studies department, I use Deaf* above to include and acknowledge the different cultures and ways of being Deaf.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

We Love d/Deaf Children’s Books: Special event with the ASL Club

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You’re invited… To recommend new children’s books for the CECH Library collection with d/Deaf representation, d/Deaf characters, and d/Deaf stories.

Using a framework created by ASL 2003 Psychosocial Aspects of Deafness, participants in this event will use their knowledge of d/Deaf culture and American Sign Language to recommend new books for the CECH Library children’s collections, including books for young children through young adults (YA).

WHEN: Wednesday, February 14th at 4:30pm
WHERE: CECH Library’s classroom, room 320
REQUIRED: An interest in d/Deaf culture, inclusion, and representation in books/media

All are welcome, RSVP to participate in this fun event on Valentine’s Day afternoon.

This event is co-sponsored by the ASL Club and the CECH Library and is funded by a CECH Diversity Grant. For further questions, contact Katie Foran-Mulcahy, CECH Library Head.

CECH Library Open House — Wednesday, January 31 @ 1pm

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The College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library cordially invites you to an open house on Wednesday, January 31 from 1-3pm. Stop by to learn about library offerings, chat with library staff, and enjoy a warm beverage and some cookies.

The CECH Library is located in 300 Teachers-Dyer Complex. All are welcome — hope to see you there!

Fondly,
k

KATIE FORAN-MULCAHY (she/her)
Head, College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library
University of Cincinnati Libraries
katie.foran@uc.edu | 513.556.1758

CECH Library Spotlight: True Biz by Sara Novic

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CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

True Biz: A Novel / written by Sara Novic (2022)

Sara Novic’s True Biz: A Novel is an excellent read for those who are interested in learning about the Deaf community from different angles. For hearing people, such as myself, reading this book is a great opportunity to understand the different ways people can be Deaf*, and the way they interact with their community, culture, and environment.

This novel centers on Charlie, who has had a cochlear implant most of her life while taking the oral route; Austin, who comes from a multigenerational Deaf* family; and February, a CODA whose working desperately to keep the Deaf* school she works for open. The book begins in media res, and intertwines these three characters’ lives together.

Novic’s novel explores the different facets of the Deaf* community, and pulls real life experiences into her writing. She takes examples from the Deaf President Now movement, which occurred at the world’s only university that focuses on the education of Deaf* people. There is also a lot of focus on the ever present communication debate, which focuses on whether it’s more beneficial for a Deaf* person to communicate via American Sign Language or orally. 

There is so much to learn in Novic’s novel, and it’s a great starting point if you’re interested in learning more about the Deaf* community. Sprinkled throughout the novel is also the utilization of ASL Glossing (ASL’s grammar structure), diagrams for different signs, and interesting Deaf tidbits!

This book is available from the CECH Library, OhioLINK, and the Search Ohio lending networks.

NOTE: In alignment with the UC ASL/Deaf studies department, I use Deaf* above to include and acknowledge the different cultures and ways of being Deaf.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

CECH Library Annual Highlights, AY23

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The CECH Library is proud to present highlights and key data points from July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2023 via the following Microsoft Sway presentation.

It has been our pleasure to serve and collaborate with the best college at the University of Cincinnati. As always, feel free to reach out directly with feedback, ideas, or questions.

On behalf of the CECH Library,
Katie Foran-Mulcahy, Head + Associate Senior Librarian
katie.foran@uc.edu | 513.556.1758

College Mentors for Kids Program in the CECH Library

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Along with our colleagues in the Archives and Rare Books (ARB) Library, the CECH Library had the opportunity to host elementary and college students from the College Mentors for Kids program on October 24th and 25th.

Coordinated by Rachel Hoople, 3rd, 4th, 5th, and 6th grade students from Oyler School and Evanston Elementary learned about curating library displays during their time in CECH. Students and mentors also worked together to build their own displays, selecting a theme, choosing library materials to highlight on that theme, and creating eye-catching visual elements.

The finished product — four excellent book displays on Halloween, cooking, dance, and holidays.

As you can see, the students did a great job (and had fun) selecting themes, materials, and making the displays visually appealing for our users.

The library displays by College Mentors for Kids will be available in the CECH Library through November.

Building Community with the CECH Library

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The College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services celebrated Stress Less Week this year from October 1st – 7th. College departments participated in providing stress management resources to students throughout the week in conjunction with the theme of Building Community.

The campus community was encouraged to work together to reach great heights with a Community Build LEGO Project. Participants selected LEGO pieces to add to the community space with the goal of building the highest tower possible. As communities tend to do, though, the project took on a life of its own with the addition of LEGO people, animals, and even plants.

CECH Library users also got the opportunity to complete a community art project with a unique sticker-by-number mural. The image was only revealed once enough of the stickers were placed in the correct spaces — over 2,000 stickers were placed to create this beautiful mural.

While Stress Less Week is now over, the CECH Library has community programming through October 31st. Visit our Building Community Book Display to explore items in our collection that focus on human connection, choose a book from the Banned Book Display to celebrate the diversity of our communal stories, and work together to hunt ghosts inside the CECH Library.

The CECH Library is located in 300 Teachers-Dyer Complex.

Rachel Hoople
CECH Library / Operations Manager and Student Worker Supervisor

CECH Library Spotlight: The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

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CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

The Honeys / written by Ryan La Sala (2022)

CW: transphobia, homophobia, hate crime, murder, grief, bullying

Book cover image of The Honeys by Ryan La Sala

Ryan La Sala’s contemporary horror The Honeys could be a sibling to the A24 horror movie Midsommar. 

The novel follows Mars, a genderfluid teen, as he embarks on a journey to find out more about his twin sister Caroline’s horrific death. Mars attends the prestigious Aspen Conservancy Summer Academy, where his sister spent her summers leading to her death. This academy is the textbook definition for the gender binary, which Mars isn’t too fond of. But while he’s there, he meets Caroline’s old friends, the Honeys. But as Mars begins to get close to the Honeys, he starts to uncover the horrifying truth of what led to his sister’s death.

Throughout his novel, La Sala explores both the gender binary and grief explicitly. The novel is centered around Mar’s grief over losing his sister, as well as what it’s like living in a gender world where to him, gender is fluid. The novel utilizes vivid imagery to help build suspense and horror, leaving reads completely on edge the further in the book they go. 

This book is available from the CECH Library, OhioLINK, and the Search Ohio lending networks.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

CECH Library Spotlight: Hollow Fires by Samira Ahmed

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CECH Spotlight highlights recommended books in the the UC College of Education, Criminal Justice, and Human Services (CECH) Library.

Hollow Fires / written by Samira Ahmed / 2022

CW: Islamophobia (Graphic), Racism (Graphic), Murder, Neo-Nazism (Graphic), Xenophobia, Racial Slurs, White Supremacy (Graphic)

Samira Ahmed’s contemporary thriller Hollow Fires switches between two narratives: Jawad Ali, a middle schooler who loves to invent, and Safiya Mirza, a senior with a passion for journalism. Nothing connects the two, but to the rest of their Chicago neighborhood, they’re one in the same as they practice the same religion: Islam. 

It starts with Jawad being labeled a terrorist over his Halloween costume, then his disappearance, then his murder. Safiya follows his story closely, as her majority-white school district sweeps the incident under the rug like it’s nothing. But when she starts receiving threats like Jawad did, it’s up to her and her friends to investigate, since the school and police don’t seem to care. 

Throughout her novel, Ahmed includes multimedia pieces such as interviews, text messages, articles, and transcripts to emphasis the message. By not just jumping between Jawad (after he’s passed) and Safiya’s perspectives the novel also utilizes the literary technique of being a “frame story,” where it begins at the end and then takes readers on the journey to the end. Ahmed brings nonfiction into her novel, using real life circumstances and recent history to guide the haunting truth of Islamophobia and racism in American society in the 21st century.

Ahmed tackles modern issues within America, and this novel can be graphic in its realistic portrayal of these actions. This novel is a fantastic read, but it does tackle very heavy subjects so please read up on the content warning (CW) before reading. 

This book is available from the CECH Library and the Search Ohio lending network.

Review by Alice Somers, CECH Library Student Assistant | Early Childhood Education and Deaf Studies, CECH 2026

Celebrate Pride with the CECH Library!

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Check out the Pride display all month long at the CECH Library!

Explore childrens’ and YA titles that span the spectrum of sexuality and gender identity and celebrate LGBTQIA+ figures and history. To find more LGBTQIA+ titles, check out our reading list available on the CECH Library website.