Over the Counter #356

What books caught my eye this week as they passed over the library counter and under my scanner? This week its messages, letters and thoughts - sent and unsent....

First up is The Last Message Received by Emily Trunko, illustrated by Zoe Ingram. 

From the publisher, Crown Books:

"Named one of the Top 10 Most Viral Blogs by Mashable, the Tumblr The Last Message Received—created by 16-year-old Emily Trunko—is now available as a gift book!

What if a message someone sends you today is the last you’ll ever receive from them? Would you respond differently, or even at all, if you knew that the end of a friendship, a brutal breakup, or worse might be coming, and that this might be your only chance?

The collection The Last Message Received includes over a hundred final text messages, social media posts, emails, and more. Adapted from the popular Tumblr The Last Message Received—followed by more than 85,000 people and selected as a finalist for the Shorty Award—the Last Message Received book features sudden endings and the type of loss that will inspire readers to reflect on what’s essential in their own lives and the importance of celebrating the people they love every day. Includes exclusive content not available on Tumblr!"

Next up is Dear My Blank: Secret Letters Never Sent, edited by Emily Trunko and illustrated by Lisa Congdon.

From Crown Books for Young Readers:

"From the popular Tumblr of the same name comes a collection of heart-warming, tear-jerking, and gut-wrenching anonymous letters that people never intended—or didn’t have the courage—to send.

The Tumblr Dear My Blank—created by 16-year-old Emily Trunko and followed by over 35,000 people—is now a carefully curated gift book with more than 160 anonymous letters covering a range of topics from heartbreak, unrequited love, and loss, to inspiration, self-awareness, and gratitude.

Featuring exclusive content not available on Tumblr, these unsent letters are addressed to secret crushes, lost loved ones, boyfriends, siblings, parents, grandparents, and many more.

Art and design by Lisa Congdon enhance these messages, making the book a beautiful keepsake for all readers."

(Over the Counter is a regular feature at A Bookworm's World. I've sadly come the realization that I cannot physically read every book that catches my interest as it crosses over my counter at the library. But... I can mention them and maybe one of them will catch your eye as well. See if your local library has them on their shelves!)