Abike-Iyimide, Faridah. Ace of Spades. Feiwel and Friends, 2021.

Chiamaka and Devon couldn’t be more different.  Both are entering their Senior year at the exclusive Niveus Academy, but that is where the similarities end.  Devon is a gifted musician who desperately wants to gain entrance into Juilliard; meanwhile, Chiamaka has her sights set on Yale and a future as a doctor.  For both, Niveus has provided the perfect foundation to reach their goals, until it begins to crumble.  As Aces, an anonymous stalker, begins to target the pair, the school, their classmates, and their teachers begin to abandon them, choosing to believe the lies that Aces has to tell. There is, however, one more thing that Chiamaka and Devon have in common.  Both are Black.  Could their cruel treatment be systemic?  Is there more at stake here than the pair realizes?  Find out in this twisting mystery that will keep you guessing throughout.

Acevedo, Elizabeth. Clap When You Land. HarperTeen, 2020.

In the Dominican Republic, sixteen-year-old Camino lives with her Aunt, the healer of her barrio, and dreams of going to Columbia University to study medicine. The father she loves visits each summer, but never offers to take him with her when he returns to New York City.  Meanwhile, in New York City sixteen-year-old Yahaira, a chess prodigy, misses her father each summer when he returns to the Dominican Republic. While the two girls have never met, the tragic loss of American Airlines Flight 587 off the coast of Queens is about to force an introduction.  This beautiful novel in verse paints the lost love and the meaning of family as both girls come to terms with the loss of their father.  While their beloved Papi was far more complicated than either girl had expected, his choices created a surprising sisterhood that might help both his daughters as they grieve his loss.  Elizabeth Acevedo has a gift for creating vulnerable and resilient young women.  Her characters show girls the power that can be found in their own choices.

Acevedo, Elizabeth. The Poet X. HarperTeen, 2018.

At the start of this novel in verse, fifteen-year-old Xiomara doubts herself and wonders how she fits in the world.  In her home, her strict Dominican mother controls her daily life.  Her twin brother Xavier has always been the good twin, the smart twin, and her mother’s favorite, while Xiomara struggles to find her place.  As her body changes, boys and men react in a way that she doesn’t want or understand and her only recourse has been to use her fists in defense.  Writing offers another way to defend herself, one that can help her to open up and to better understand where she belongs, but can her mother accept this deeply personal side of Xiomara?  In this brilliant novel, Acevedo’s poems allow readers to identify with Xiomara's struggles and to feel a deep sense of pride in the young woman she becomes. 

Acevedo, Elizabeth. With the Fire on High. HarperTeen, 2019.

Emoni is entering her senior year with more concerns than the average student.  For the past three years, Emoni's chief responsibility has been her baby daughter, Emma, who she lovingly refers to as Baby Girl.  With Emma enrolled in a nice preschool, Emoni needs to focus on her next steps so that she can continue to provide the life she wants for Emma and to take some of the pressure off her Abuela, the grandmother who has raised her since birth.  A force in the kitchen, Emoni's food has a powerful effect on her friends and family, but will this allow her to succeed in her culinary arts elective under the instruction of a professional chef?  Is it possible for Emoni to have a culinary career or is she doomed to work in fast food in order to support her family?  With a class trip to Spain on the horizon, Emoni is about to learn that sometimes to succeed in life she has to let others see her true loves, hopes, and dreams so that they can help her to reach them.

Adeyemi, Tomi. Children of Blood and Bone. Henry Holt, 2018.

As a dark-skinned, white-haired diviner, Zelie would have inherited her own unique magic before King Saran crushed all magic and enslaved her people.  When Zelie unwittingly helps Princess Amari escape her father’s oppression, the pair, along with Zelie’s brother, stumble upon a way to rekindle magic for all.  The trio is pursued by Prince Inan, Amari’s misguided brother who hopes to kill Zelie and end all magic forever.  Who can be trusted?  With motives and emotions in constant flux, Zelie and Amari can’t be sure who to confide in or who to love.  An excellent fantasy rooted in West Africa, this debut novel will leave readers with more questions than answers, but in the best possible way.

Ahmed, Samira. Love, Hate, and Other Filters. Soho Teen, 2018.

Maya, a seventeen-year-old Indian-American Muslim girl growing up in the suburbs of Chicago, desperately wants to attend NYU to study filmmaking.  While she’s hidden her dreams from her parents, Maya needs to find the courage to be honest about her future studies, but everything is complicated when a terrorist attack endangers her family.  Maya has always felt out of place, not traditional enough for the parents who love her, but not American enough to avoid the suspicions, fear, and bigotry that plague her community.  So interesting that I selected this book, at this moment.  As Samira Ahmed writes in her author’s note, “And for those who bear the brunt of hate because of the color of their skin, or the sound of their name, or the scarf on their head, or the person they love; for those who are spat upon, for those who are told to “go home” when they are home: you are known.  You are loved. You are enough. Let your light shine. I wrote this book for you.”

Albertalli, Becky and Adam Silvera. What If It’s Us. Balzer & Bray, 2018.

Arthur and Ben almost met in the post office and that near miss is all that either can think about.  How can a meeting that began with twin men in lederhosen, a flash mob wedding proposal, and an unmailed package to an ex-boyfriend not be the work of the Universe drawing them together?  Ben’s recent break up with Hudson along with repeating his eleventh grade year in summer school has left him with low expectations for the summer, but maybe he is meant to find Arthur to turn that around.  Arthur is spending the summer in New York City, but the tension between his parents and being away from his best friends is challenging.  Could Ben be the new relationship he’s dreaming of?  Could one summer romance turn into something more or is a future relationship out of reach?  A romance for the ages, perfect for those who love the tension of almost.  A romance for the ages, perfect for those who love the tension of near misses.   

Alexander, Kwame. The Door of No Return. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2022.

Five stars are simply not enough for me to adequately express my love for Kwame Alexander as a writer or this book as a work of historical fiction.  Eleven-year-old Kofi is small for his age, but his intelligence and kindness set him apart from his schoolmates, especially to Ama, the girl he has a crush on.  His family relationships, especially with his adored older brother, his grandfather who passed along wisdom in his stories, and his best friend who supports all his ideas and plans, combine to make Kofi's story leap from the page.  In his trademark verse, Alexander builds a village for Kofi to occupy alongside his family and friends that help to bring the Ghana of 1860 alive to his readers.  We feel the joy, loss, and pain that Kofi experiences and readers will look forward to the sequel since The Door of No Return is the first in a planned trilogy.

Alexander, Kwame.  Swing. Blink, 2018.

Walt and Noah are best friends.  Walt dreams of being a baseball star, of getting the girl, and of a bright future created to the swing of the jazz music he loves.  Noah sees their reality; that being cut from the baseball team limits their prospects, that Sam, the girl he’s loved since the third grade sees him as a friend, and that the noise of jazz could never be the soundtrack to his life.  As Walt works to improve his baseball swing, Noah tries to find a way to put his feelings for Sam into words.  A packet of love letters inspires Noah to create blackout poems about Sam, but when one finds its way to her anonymously will he have the courage to own his choices rather than letting life pass him by?  The end left me in shock and deeply sad for characters that Alexander’s verse had wound around my heart.  A must read!

Alsaid, Adi. Come on in: 15 Stories about Immigration and Finding Home. Inkyard, 2020.

A fantastic collection of stories from well-known and award-winning young adult authors.  Each story focuses on what it is like to be a new arrival, although the circumstances for each main character vary widely.  In First Words by Varsha Bajaj, Priya’s family has immigrated from India in the hope of treating her brother, Rishi’s hearing loss.  While Rishi assimilates quickly into his New Jersey school, Priya finds her high school to be a much more difficult transition.  When the school librarian starts a book club and the first selection is a favorite of Priya's, perhaps the familiar characters will lead her to new friends.  This collection features one gem after another and is a great read for new students or anyone who has ever felt out of place.

Bennett, Brit. The Vanishing Half. Riverhead Books, 2020.

Identity is complicated, especially when it is tied to race and gender.  For the Vignes twins, Desiree and Stella, growing up in Mallard, Louisiana, a tiny town where dark skin is frowned upon while their light skin is prized, their future is uncertain despite their fair complexions.  These identical girls, born black leave Mallard for two very different lives.  One passes successfully into 1960s white America marrying and giving birth to a blonde-haired, blue-eyed daughter, while her sister returns to Mallard with her own dark-skinned daughter, who now must face the familiar town prejudices.  In this multi-generational novel, mothers and daughters try to create their own identities, careful on what they reveal to even their closest relatives.

Brooks, Max. The Harlem Hellfighters. Broadway Books, 2014.

Author Max Brooks (World War Z) tackles a little-known African-American fighting force who served notably in World War I in the trenches of France.  The illustrations work well with the text to capture the emotion and experiences of the brave group of fighters, noting their personal fears, experiences, and obstacles alongside the battles they faced together.  Brooks hoped this work would bring attention to the heroism of the Harlem Hellfighters, which seems to have worked since President Obama recognized the outfit’s heroics while in office.

Burcaw, Shane.  Laughing at my Nightmare. New York: Roaring Brook Press, 2014.

Shane Burcaw challenges readers not to laugh out loud from page one of his humorous memoir on life with spinal muscular atrophy.  Shane shows his readers that while everyone faces challenges, one can use humor to make an important contribution to the world.  An honest look at Burcaw’s life from birth to age twenty-one, the memoir recounts his successes and challenges with an irreverent enthusiasm.  Based on his blog of the same title, readers will understand how Burcaw has succeeded in creating a life and a non-profit foundation designed to help others.  As Shane concludes, “I will throw everything I have into this life for as long as I can physically manage.  Maybe it’ll be a huge failure.  If, at the end of it all, I can look back and know that I made some people laugh, it will have all been worth it.” (p. 247)  A strong and original memoir.

Butler, Octavia. Kindred. Beacon Press, 1979.

Dana, a Black woman living in modern America, is repeatedly transported back to the Antebellum South without warning.  Each visit gives her a view into the experiences of her ancestors, some enslaved and some free, and the complicated relationships that make up her family tree. Has Dana been given the role of protecting her family?  Can she survive life as a slave and make it back to the present where her husband, Kevin, is waiting?  Find out in this gripping tale that paints a stark picture of African-American life in the 1800s.

Colbert, Brandy. Black Birds in the Sky: The Story and Legacy of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre. Balzer + Bray, 2021.

This nonfiction text documents the Race Massacre of 1921 that decimated Tulsa’s Greenwood District, also known as “Black Wall Street”.  Colbert’s well researched and careful analysis of the systemic problems that resulted in the violence sets her book apart from a simple explanation of the tragedy itself.  Beginning with the history of the police, the newspaper industry, and the government regulations that made Black business ownership a challenge, Colbert explains the tragedy and the resulting coverup.  Since this event was not covered in the mainstream textbooks, readers might be surprised to learn how inevitable the tragedy seems once the American racial and social climate is explained.  Those with questions about how systemic racism influenced America in the twentieth century will find a strong starting point here.

Curato, Mike. Flamer. Henry Holt and Company, 2020.

The quote on the front cover from National Book Award Finalist, Jarrett Krosoczka says it all! "This book will save lives."  Aiden Navarro, who will be entering the 9th grade at a new public high school in the fall, looks forward to Boy Scout camp each summer, but this summer the dread he feels about his new school and his anxiety over how different he feels from the boys around him is complicating his time there.  When Aiden can't take the teasing, will he make a choice that he cannot step back from?  This is a powerful book that every educator, parents, and student should read.

Calendar, Kacen, Felix Ever After. Balzer and Bray, 2020.

Kacen Callender has crafted an epic teenage love triangle.  Felix, a transgender teen struggling with his identity, faces an anonymous transphobic bully who tries to discount Felix's existence. Fortunately, Felix is not alone in his struggles for he has the constant support of his best friend, Ezra.  As Felix searches for the identity of his tormentor, he finds a new connection with a classmate that could lead to love, but perhaps love has been staring Felix in the face the whole time and he has not been ready to receive it.  Books offer the reader windows to see the world and the world that Kacen Callender crafts here is SO worth the visit. 

Calendar, Kacen. King and the Dragonflies. Scholastic, 2020.  

At twelve, Kingston James has much on his mind.  Consumed by the loss of his older brother, Khalid to a heart attack, King is sure that Khalid has come back in the form of a dragonfly.   As King struggles to find a new normal, his former best friend, Sandy Sanderson, disappears.  With the whole town searching, King has a secret that could help locate Sandy and might explain why he disappeared, but is it a secret King is ready to share?  Before he died, Khalid had warned King to stay away from Sandy and while King loves his brother and wants to honor his wishes, King may need Sandy more than ever.  A beautiful coming of age story that reveals how important the love of family and friends is to who we are meant to be.

Chugh, Dolly.  The Person You Mean to Be. Harper Collins, 2018.

According to Chugh, there are believers, those who believe in equality, diversity, and inclusion, and builders, those who use their position, power, and daily choices to move the world forward towards these goals.  By pairing carefully selected anecdotes, which keep the reader engaged in the topic and text, with data gathered from an exhaustive number of sociological studies, Chugh shows how demonstrating a growth mindset can allow one to learn to support equity through action.  An important read for those who are looking for a solution to our nation’s current political and social struggles.

Craft, Jerry. New Kid. Harper, 2019.

Jordan Banks dreams of art school, but instead is about to start middle school at an elite private school that his mother hopes will give him opportunities beyond his Washington Heights neighborhood.  An aspiring cartoonist, Jordan translates his obstacles into comics as he tries to fit in with his new classmates.  With the help of his loving family, Jordan begins to adapt to life at school, but will he find the courage to speak up for himself and his new friends?

Daniels, April. Dreadnought: Nemesis - Book 1. DiversionBooks, 2017.

Fifteen-year-old Daniel knows inside he is a girl, but he must hide these feelings from the world.  When Daniel witnesses the death of Dreadnought, an all-powerful superhero, he inherits the mantel of power Dreadnought possessed, but instead of turning Daniel into an all-powerful man, he becomes Danielle, an all-powerful woman, and his true identity.  Is a world, even one where superheroes are the norm, ready to accept a trangender superhero as a replacement for a respected icon?  Danielle must find a way to accept the mantle of power on her own terms.

Deuker, Carl. Golden Arm. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2020.

Growing up in Jet City, a trailer park in Seattle, Laz has always struggled with school.  Laz’s stutter often keeps him quiet in the classroom, but his talent on the baseball field speaks for itself.  When his school team is eliminated and his family gets word that their trailer park will soon be razed, the future seems bleak for Laz, but an opportunity to study and play at another school with an award-winning baseball program might be the perfect solution.  Living away from his family, especially his best friend and younger brother, Antonio, is a challenge, but with his sights set on the major leagues, Laz is willing to take the chance.  As the state tournament game looms and the MLB scouts are beginning to pay attention to Laz’s pitching he will need to decide which is more important: his future or his family.

Draper, Sharon. Copper Sun. Atheneum Books for Young Readers, 2007.

At fifteen Amari’s life is forever changed when she is abducted from her African village and forced into slavery in Carolina.  Amari loses her family, her friends and her fiancé, but she manages to maintain identity in the face of horrific treatment and little hope.  An outstanding work of historical fiction, readers will be horrified by Amari’s ordeal, but inspired by her determination to regain her freedom.  A Coretta Scott King Award Winner.

Dudley, David L. Cy in Chains. Clarion Books, 2013.

Cy was only thirteen when he was dragged away from his home and wrongly imprisoned in a horrific work camp.  For more than three years, Cy spends his days and nights shackled to the other boys in his gang, many of whom are under the age of ten, all of whom, like Cy, are in prison for minor or made up offenses.  When his father finally manages to track Cy down and suggests the idea of an escape it takes a while for Cy to find the guts to put a plan into action.  If Cy’s plan succeeds will he be able to lead the band of wronged children to a better life?  Find out in David Dudley’s historical novel set in the post-Civil War American South, where life for black Americans had changed little despite the abolition of slavery.  A tragic tale that will lead readers to root for Cy’s freedom.

Duster, Michelle. Ida B. the Queen: The extraordinary life and legacy of Ida B. Wells. Atria, 2021

Ida B. Wells, the courageous black woman who spoke out against lynching and discrimination as a journalist and social activist, is remembered here by her great-granddaughter, Professor Michelle Duster.  More than a biography, Duster’s book placed Wells activism both historically, in the national fight for Civil Rights for Black Americans, and as a foundation for the modern social justice movement.  Duster shares how Wells' fight for equal rights led to important social rights groups like the NAACP and her activism inspired modern movements like Black Lives Matter.  If you read Jason Reynolds Stamped and are looking for a way to continue exploring Black history in America, Ida B. the Queen is a great choice.

Emezi, Akwaeke. Pet. Make Me A World, 2019.

In the near future all of the monsters of our world have been vanquished.  There is no more discrimination, racism, violence, and conflict.  The angels made hard choices to fix our world and now people live in peace.  Everyone is accepted for who they choose to be and how they choose to love.  Jam and her best friend Redemption have grown up with the history the angels have taught.  The problems of our world are in the distant past and now that there is peace there is no reason to dwell on them.  Evidence of our world’s problems and successes still exist in libraries, but there is little reason to seek out the details that society has overcome.  When a monster steps from the canvas of her mother’s latest painting with a threat against Redemption, Jam might find that the monsters of our world have invaded her own.

Fahmy, Huda. Yes, I’m Hot in This. Adams Media, 2018.

Cartoonist and author Huda Fahmy shares the challenges that she faces as a Muslim woman who chooses to wear a Hijab in a laugh out loud approach that is guaranteed to get people talking.  The intelligence and wit that Fahmy brings to her comic make her work relatable to all Americans regardless of background or ethnicity.  Her explanation of the microaggressions that she faces throughout her life will be eye opening to some and all too familiar to others, but her work succeeds in opening the conversation of how one’s behavior affects others when it comes to how Muslim women are viewed in American society.

Frankel, Laurie. This is How it Always Is. Flatiron Books, 2017.

What happens when a loving family grapples with how to support their youngest child through gender dysphoria?  Penn and Rosie’s relationship is a unique love story that leads to the birth of five boys.  As their youngest starts kindergarten, Claude, like his brothers, is smart and funny, but he also wants to wear a dress, carry a purse, and grow up to be a lady.  As Claude becomes Poppy, Penn and Rosie begin to navigate the very unclear path of gender identity and struggle with how to support the child they love, but also allow Poppy to decide her own future. 

Gharib, Malaka.  I Was Their American Dream. Clarkson Potter, 2019.

A graphic memoir that examines identity and the challenges of growing up in America to a Filipino mother and an Egyptian father.  Readers follow Malaka as she tries to establish her place first in Catholic school, then at Syracuse University, and finally as an artist and journalist in Washington, DC.  In each place, Malaka finds herself yearning to be recognized for her heritage, but also to fit comfortably into White American society.  Her challenges and her growth will be familiar to many first generation Americans.

Gilbert, Kelly Loy. Picture Us In The Light. Hyperion, 2018.

To a high school senior, the past and the future can often seem like a mystery.  Danny’s loving parents don’t speak of their past, of the family that they left behind in China, or about their lives before they settled in the high-achieving mecca of Cupertino where his father works.  Danny, a talented artist, has just received his acceptance letter to RISD, his dream school, which would indicate a bright future, but he constantly wonders if his artistic talents have peaked and if his admission is a mistake.  The friendships Danny has known since his arrival ten years ago seemed so solid until a recent tragedy left each questioning their choices and wondering if they hold some blame.  As Danny begins to dig to find out where his heart and history lie, is parent’s carefully constructed life begins to fall apart and the true nature of his friendships come into question.  Is Danny brave enough to follow his heart even if it might hurt his parents or his friends?

Gorman, Amanda. Call Us What We Carry. Viking, 2021. 

A brilliant collection of poems that speak what many Americans have felt over the past two plus years.

Sorry if we’re way less friendly__*

We had COVID tryna end things

Even now handshakes & hugs are like gifts.

Something we are shocked to grant, be granted. (p.15)

Taking on COVID, speaking to social justice, reflecting on history, Amanda Gorman provides us with clear and wise words that have the power to unite through shared experiences. 

Grann, David. Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. Vintage Books, 2018.

This National Book Award Finalist captures the Reign of Terror, the systematic murder of members of the Osage nation, a Native American tribe with lucrative oil and gas supplies beneath their Oklahoma reservation.  In the 1920s, the Osage became some of the wealthiest people in America, but with their inherited wealth came a danger of extortion and assassination.  As murders of the Osage became systemic, J. Edgar Hoover tapped Federal Bureau of Investigation agents to solve the murder mystery entwined in local, state, and national corruption.  Soon to be a Netflix docuseries, Grann investigates the Osage nation victims, the FBI agents, and the lasting mark that the violence of the 1920s left on all involved.

Gulledge, Laura Lee.  The Dark Matter of Mona Starr. Amulet Books, 2020.

When Mona Stern’s closest friend moves away she is left struggling with her loneliness and depression.  In this graphic novel, Mona’s anxiety about herself and how she fits in her family, her school, and the world presents as a physical darkness that manifests itself throughout her panels taking a variety of forms to show how her “dark matter” changes her perception and experiences.  Using her observations to try to get a handle on her depression, along with reaching out to her family, her doctors, and eventually her artners, Mona shows not only the darkness of depression, but also the positive steps she takes to cope with her feelings. A quick read with a positive message about a difficult topic to discuss, Gulledge’s graphic novel is a great SEL selection to share with students, parents, and teachers.

Gyasi, Yaa. Homegoing. Vintage Books, 2016. 

This fascinating multi-generational novel follows the descendants of a Ghanaian family.  One branch faces the complications of the slave trade, rebellion, and life in the Asante region while the other, captured and sold to America, faces the violence of slave life, the Jim Crow South, the Harlem Renaissance, and Black life in modern America.  Each chapter reveals a new generation's challenges and triumphs, weaving together a magical story that takes readers across time, around the world, and back.

Ha, Robin. Almost American Girl. Balzer + Bray, 2020.

In this graphic memoir, Robin Ha shares her move from Korea to Alabama as a teenager.  Her mother, a single parent, brought Robin to America for the many opportunities the switch offered, but Robin faced a challenging year trying to learn English and assimilate into a new extended family.  Art and her love for comics becomes a way for Robin to conquer her shyness and to make new friends.  This new found confidence allows her to grow and find a way to embrace American life.

Higuera, Donna Barba. The Last Cuentista. Levine Querido, 2018.

As the doomed Earth waits for the comet strike that will destroy it, Petra Pena’s family is one of the lucky one’s bound for a new world.  A spacecraft designed to care for a select group of travelers as they migrate centuries across space will be Petra’s new home.  She and her family will sleep in stasis for generations and arrive with the expertise to establish a new civilization.  When Petra’s stasis goes awry she learns that the ship has been commandeered by a generation that hopes to achieve peace by eradicating all that makes an individual different, unique, and special.  Upon her re-awakening, Petra, now renamed Zeta-1, must blend into the new collective to give her time to try to find her family and plan her escape.  Can Petra save the other Zetas and find a way to achieve the future that her family had longed for?  How will her Grandmother’s stories, cuentistas, help her?  Can she find a way to become the last cuentista to save her people and make her ancestors proud?  This science fiction book shows the impact of story on humanity.

Hughes, Kiku. Displacement. First Second, 2020.

Part historical fiction, part family history, and part science fiction, in this graphic novel, Kiku is “displaced” from 2016 to the 1940s when her family was interned by the US government because of their Japanese heritage.  Inspired by Octavia Butler’s Kindred, Kiku travels back through time repeatedly to watch her Grandmother’s family cope with life in the Topaz Incarceration Camp.  Kiku is not an outsider in the 1940s, but rather endures months immersed in the painful and demoralizing existence alongside her ancestors.  When sharing these seemingly impossible experiences with her mother upon her return to 2016, Kiku finds that her mother not only believes her, but has had similar experiences of her own.  The multi-generational pain of Kiku’s family highlights the damage the American government’s actions inflicted on Japanese Americans and ties their suffering to the plight of modern communities of color.

Jones, Kimberly and Gilly Segal. I’m Not Dying with You Tonight. Sourcebooks Fire, 2019

Lena and Campbell couldn’t seem more different.  While both are Seniors at McPherson High School in Atlanta, Lena who is Black and has grown up in the inner city while Campbell, who is white, has just moved to McPherson.  Those differences are highlighted when the two girls are thrown together after a Friday night football game ends in gunshots and the girls work together to escape the violence.  Atlanta is in an uproar after the game and the path that the pair must travel will lead them to making judgements about each other and the way that they see the world around them, from their view of the police to the neighborhood around them.  While some of their beliefs prove true others keep themselves and the readers guessing about who they truly are.  Each girl takes her turn narrating their journey and both have plenty to say about each other and the events of the evening.  Can they come together to make it home safely or will their feelings towards each other impact their survival?  This novel offers a fictional look inside an urban riot that will allow readers to see the many sides that exist inside a conflict.  

Kingsolver, Barbara. Demon Copperhead. Harper Collins, 2022.

The journey of Damon “Demon” and his copper-colored hair begins in childhood, the son of a teenage mother whom he loses too early.  Beginning with the trials of foster care, Demon’s clever mind and giving spirit relates the difficult path of an orphan in rural Virginia. As he grows he shows flashes of brilliance, as an artist and a human being, but the widespread addictions of Appalachia keep pulling him back.  Mirroring Charles Dickens’ David Copperfield, Kingsolver presents adventure after adventure of young Demon, a character that readers will root for and love.  This Pulitzer Prize winning novel and Oprah’s book club pick presents an unforgettable character who overcomes more than he should have to as he strives for adulthood.

Krznaric, Roman. Empathy: Why it matters, and how to get it. Perigee, 2014.

While many believe that humans are naturally apathetic and self-centered, Roman Kznaric presents research which demonstrates that mankind is quite the opposite, that we are predisposed to show empathy for others.  Empathy is a choice, a quality that can be cultivated.  By developing a stronger sense of empathy our lives will become more settled, more fulfilling, and better.  Kznaric shares the six habits of highly empathic people to motivate readers.  Each chapter focuses on a specific habit and why it can help to increase our well being.  For example, “Habit 5: Travel in your armchair” shares the power that photographs, videos, and books have to change our world view.  The pros and cons of using media to increase our sense of empathy and to connect us with the experiences of others are shared along with how our media appetite influences our understanding of the world around us.

Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teens Speak Out by Susan Kuklin

In this nonfiction work, six teens explain the process of realizing that they identify as transgender, the act of coming out to their family and friends, and how their transition has changed their life.  Each teen speaks with such an honest voice, that the collection is impossible to put down!  Jessy, Christina, Mariah, Cameron, Nat, and Luke offer authentic accounts of the path towards adulthood.  Readers will be impressed with their bravery and honesty.  Winner of the 2015 Stonewall Book Award.

Latin American Youth Center.  Voces Sin Fronteras - Voices Without Borders. Shout Mouse Press, 2018.

Sixteen members of the Latin American Youth Center’s Latino Youth Leadership Council in Washington, D.C. created autobiographical comics to share their immigration stories.  Each narrative shows the complexity of the immigrant experience.  The stories depict family separation, difficult choices and living conditions, travel and border crossings, along with the challenges and depression that some teens face once in America.  This book offers a great introduction for teachers looking to do a similar prompt to use with their own students.  Each comic is followed by an explanation from the teen artist that provides additional context.

Little Badger, Darcie. Elatsoe. Levine Querido, 2020.

Seventeen-year-old Ellie lives in a version of America where magic and fantasy mixes with reality.  As a member of the Lipan Apache Tribe whose family has the power to raise the dead, Ellie understands the power and the boundaries of the deceased more vividly than most.  When her beloved cousin, Trevor, is killed in suspicious circumstances, Ellie may need to cross the boundary to the underworld to restore order and give peace to her cousin’s spirit.  With the help of her family and friends, especially her best friend Jay, Ellie tries to solve the mystery of Trevor’s death before his murderer claims another victim.  I loved this book, especially the way that Darcie Little Badger weaves Lipan Apache tradition into a work of fantasy.  This is a must read!

Mafi, Tahereh. A Very Large Expanse of Sea. Harper, 2018.

Shirin, a muslim American student, survives the negative stereotypes inflicted on her by teachers and students at her new high school in the year after 9/11 by ignoring those around her.  A good student, Shirin wears a hijab by choice, but those around her never wait for an explanation and instead assume they know why Shirin covers her hair.  The negative, hurtful, and racist taunts lead Shirin to tune out her classmates, so when Ocean James seems interested in getting to know her, the attention causes Shirin to be suspicious of his motives.  Even after accepting that Ocean’s friendship is genuine, Shirin realizes that there is no place for a friendship, let alone a relationship between the pair given the current political climate.  Ocean is more optimistic, but who will prove right in the end?  Mafi’s novel shows the brutality of racism in a modern American high school.

McLemore, Anna-Marie. Lakelore. Feiwel and Friends, 2022.

Bastián Silvano and Lore Garcia are united by the legendary magic of the lake that no one else can see.  They also share struggles.  Bastián has built a rigorous system to recall the present and future, as well as a way to forget his past mistakes which they see as caused by their ADHD.  Meanwhile, Lore's Dyslexia causes academic anxiety while their past choices, if revealed, threaten their future and any possibility of acceptance by their newest friends.  Drawn together, first by their connection to the lake's legends, but also by their common struggles they find friendship and the possibility of more in their budding relationship.  When the past threatens their future, is it possible for each to live with who the other needs to become?  A magical look at self-awareness, friendship, and the difficulties of those who hope to find their way in a world that never seems designed for them.

Menon, Sandhya. When Dimple Met Rishi. Simon Pulse, 2017.

A perfect love story is the best way to describe When Dimple Met Rishi.  Bound for Stanford University in the fall, Dimple longs to conquer the tech world through app design.  Attending Insomnia Con, an intensive six-week summer program for future web developers seems like the best way to begin, but Dimple is shocked when her conservative parents actually agree.  Imagine her surprise when she finds that the reason behind their agreement is that Rishi Patel, an ideal match that her parents approve of, is already set to marry Dimple and sees their introduction at Insomnia Con as the perfect first step.  The journey of Dimple and Rishi is filled with surprises.  Both have much to learn about life and love, but perhaps it is a journey that they can begin together, despite their parents' approval.

Morrow, Bethany C. Take the Mic: Fictional Stories of Everyday Resistance. Arthur E. Levine, 2019.

Authors, poets, and cartoonists showcase the daily acts of resistance that People of Color choose to make each day.  While these acts are small, the importance of each and the impact the choice has on the individual should not be overlooked.  Stories include the Indigenous experience (Grace by Darcie Little Badger), confrontations with the police (As You Were by Bethany C. Morrow), and racism (Aurora Rising by Yamile Saied Mendez) faced by teens.

Muhammad, Ibtihaj. Proud: Living My American Dream. Little, Brown, and Company, 2018.

An inspiring memoir of fencer, Olympic medalist, and New Jersey native Ibtihaj Muhammad. Ibtihaj shares the drive and determination that encouraged her to enter the sport of fencing as a Black Muslim girl in a sport dominated by white faces.  Daughter of a teacher and a police officer, Ibtihaj faced discrimination and doubt concerning her chances for victory on the fencing strip and off, but her family’s support was essential to her success.  This memoir shares the difficulties that Ibtihaj overcame to reach her Olympic dream.  The grit and determination Ibtihaj shows proves that hard work can bring success if one remains true to themselves, their faith, and their family.

Nayeri, Daniel. Everything Sad is Untrue. Arthur A. Levine, 2020.

Khosrou, who’s name is now Daniel, escaped from Iran with his mother and sister, but left his father and the rest of his family behind.  Daniel begins to tell the story of his family, his escape, and his new life in America to his teacher and classmates through a series of writing prompts mirroring the stories that Scheherazade told in the 1001 Arabian Nights that she narrated to preserve her life.  Daniel is different from his classmates in Oklahoma and those differences make him the subject of ridicule and rejection, feelings that are woven into the family stories that he shares.  As Daniel explains the stories that have shaped him, readers begin to understand the strength of his truth and the power of a good story.  

Obama, Michelle. The Light We Carry, Crown, 2022.

Former First Lady, Michelle Obama, shares wit and practical wisdom on how to thrive in our challenging world.  From the importance of establishing a “kitchen table”, a core group of supporters who have your back in life’s challenges, to building a lasting personal partnership, to strategies to overcome the unique obstacles we each face, Mrs. Obama uses her life experience and personal stories to guide her readers.  (As with Becoming, I listened to this as an audiobook because it feels like a longe, lovely conversation with Mrs. Obama, but I found myself turning to the print version to bookmark my favorite quotations and passages.) Far from political in the message, this book is filled with a positive spirit that will inspire all who read it.  

Oluo, Ijeoma. So You Want to Talk About Race. Blackstone, 2018.

Ijeoma Oluo's discussion of race provides a clear picture of race and racism in America.  Readers are presented with information and tools to evaluate their racist behavior, to understand how white privilege has created and sustained racism in America, and action items for how to begin dismantling the systems that benefit white society.  The book delivers a message that is sometimes hard to hear, but necessary for the reader to understand in order to make real social change through their actions.

Oseman, Alice. Heartstopper. Scholastic, 2018.

Charlie Spring is a sweet boy, open to falling in love, and out at his all-boys high school when he meets Nick Nelson, the friendly rugby player who recruits Charlie to join the team.  The boys become friends, watch out for each other, and generally enjoy each other’s company on and off the field.  For Charlie their relationship is an epic crush that gets deeper with each kindness Nick shows him, but it is impossible that Charlie’s feelings could be reciprocated, right?  That is certainly how it seems, but it is possible that Nick feels more than he is willing to admit.  This graphic novel is a quick read that will make readers longing for the next chapter of this wonderful romance.

Philippe, Ben. The Field Guide to the North American Teenager. Balzer + Bray. 2019.

Norris Kaplan, a Black French Canadian teen, gets transplanted to Austin, Texas when his mother accepts a university position.  Leaving behind his best friend, hockey team, and everything familiar, Norris thinks American movies have taught him all he needs to know about his new classmates.  Smart, funny, and a bit of a loner, Norris is content to observe their behavior from afar, recording his searing observations in the notebook he carries, but as he gets to know his classmates, he realizes that they don’t all fit into the stereotypes that he has cast upon them.  For instance, Maddie, the blonde cheerleader that he initially dismisses as ridiculous, earns his respect and friendship.  Liam, the looming guy with an interest in hockey, convinces Norris to start a team. But when his sarcastic journal entries come to light will his new friendships survive or will this give Norris one more reason to return to Canada?

Philippe, Ben. Sure, I’ll Be Your Black Friend: Notes From the Other Side of the Fist Bump. Harper Perennial, 2021.

Ben Philippe, the author of The Field Guide of the North American Teenager reflects on his youth.  From his arrival to Canada as a Haitian immigrant, through high school, into his college years at NYU, and beyond, Philippe uses the wit that sparkles in his young adult writing to examine the challenges that he has faced.  Philippe doesn’t shy away from difficult topics.  As his memoir explores his family life, including his relationship with his estranged father, and the challenges he has faced and continues to endure as a black man, Philippe bares his soul to his readers.  Black Lives Matter, the state of American policing, and more personal struggles all spend time center stage in Philippe’s first work for adult readers.  Readers who are familiar with his fiction works will find glimmers of Norris and Henri in Philippe’s own experiences.  

Picoult, Jodi. Small Great Things. Ballantine Books, 2016.

Ruth Jefferson is black.  Despite twenty years experience, Ruth's skin color pulls her into a tangle of events in the death of newborn Davis Bauer, the firstborn son of Turk and Brit, a white supremacist couple who demand Ruth be removed as Davis' nurse. Told in alternating chapters, Ruth, Turk, and Kennedy McQuarrie, Ruth's defense attorney, share their part in this story in turns.  "Equality is treating everyone the same.  But equity is taking differences into account, so everyone has a chance to succeed...the first one sounds fair.  The second one is fair." (p.427) If the criminal justice system is indeed blind, can Ruth truly be treated with equity?  Will justice be served? 

Reynolds, Jason and Brendan Kiely. All American Boys. Atheneum, 2015.

Rashad doesn’t have life figured out.  According to his father, ”there’s no better opportunity for a black boy in this country than to join the army” (p.8). Although Rashad has joined the ROTC he doesn’t see the army in his future and on Friday night, he just wants to relax with his friends.  When a trip to the corner store quickly changes his plans, and Rashad finds himself face down on the pavement at the mercy of a brutal policeman, the students in his school begin to choose sides over who to believe regarding what really happened.  Quinn, who’s eyeing a college basketball scholarship, witnessed what happened to Rashad, but he can’t believe the man he looked up to can really be responsible for the attack he witnessed.  Can Quinn figure out who he wants to be both on and off the court?  A simple choice is quite complex when it affects those you think of as family. 

Reynolds, Jason. Miles Morales, Spider-Man. Marvel, 2017.

A combination of two of my favorite things, Marvel comics and the brilliant storytelling of Jason Reynolds, this novel tells the story of Miles Morales, a regular teenager who just happens to be Spider-Man.  A scholarship student at the elite Brooklyn Visions Academy, Miles has the smarts to succeed, but his spidey-sense (and his crush on Alicia) seem to keep him off balance.  His spidey sense goes into overdrive as his social studies teacher, Mr. Chamberlain, spends class after class explaining the benefits the Antebellum South, the Confederacy of Jefferson Davis, and the modern prison system have had on American society.  Mr. Chamberlain seems to haunt his thoughts, even taking up residence in Miles’ dreams, but could his spidey-sense be on to something?  Perhaps Mr. Chamberlain is more than he seems, but if Miles’ reacts he just might let down his family and friends.  Can Miles find a way to stand up for what is right?  Jason Reynolds takes the origin story of Spider-Man to a whole new level.

Reynolds, Jason. Miles Morales: Suspended. Marvel, 2023.

Miles Morales returns to serve out his in-school suspension for disrupting Mr. Chamberlain’s class, but there is something unnerving about one of the students that he is spending the day with.  It’s definitely NOT Alicia Carson, who is also in ISS because she supported his protest in history class, although he’d love to find a way to talk to her, and it’s probably not Brad Canby who wears his privilege like a badge of honor, but it just might be Tobin E. Rogers, the quiet and quirky boy who volunteers in the school library.  When Miles’ spidey sense triggers repeatedly making sitting quietly more and more difficult, Miles begins to suspect Tobin isn’t what he seems and might have more of a connection to Mr. Chamberlain than he realized.  Jason Reynolds gives us another look at the microaggressions that students of color deal with inside our schools casting them as the ultimate evildoer that Miles needs to be prepared to fight.

Reynolds, Jason and Ibram X. Kendi. Stamped: Racism, Antiracism, and You. Little, Brown, and Company, 2020.

Jason Reynolds translates Dr. Ibram X. Kendi’s Stamped from the Beginning, an important look at racism in American history, into an approachable and engaging book for all ages.  Aimed at a teen audience, this book offers a comprehensive overview of the original title which will inspire more mature readers to pick up the original text.  Beginning with the first racist, Reynolds provides a chronological look at the traditions, institutions, and viewpoints that create racism in America.  A must read for all ages.

Rhodes, Jewell Parker. Ghost Boys. Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, 2018.

When twelve-year-old Jerome is shot by a white police officer while playing with a toy gun in the local park, his story is just beginning.  Jerome watches his family mourn, life continues without him, and forms an unexpected relationship with the twelve-year-old daughter of the cop who shot him.  Sarah can see Jerome, in fact she can see other fallen boys including Emmet Till who acts as a guide for the grief of both Sarah and Jerome.  Is Jerome’s spirit destined to wander the world reminding others of the untimely nature of his death or will he find the peace he deserves?

Ribay, Randy. After the Shot Drops. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2018.

Although Bunny and Nasir have been friends forever, they haven't spoken since Bunny made the decision to transfer from Whitman High to St. Sebastian's, a basketball powerhouse with a pipeline to Division I colleges and the NBA.  Told in alternating chapters, each boy struggles to find a path out of their rough neighborhood without leaving behind the people that they love.  When Nasir makes a demand that Bunny can't possibly agree to, will their friendship survive?

Ribay, Randy. Patron Saints of Nothing. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 2019.

Seventeen-year-old Jay, shocked by the sudden death of his cousin, Jun, is contacted by a friend who suggests there might be more to learn.  Jay travels back to the Philipines in an attempt to solve the mystery of Jun’s death.  During the ten day trip, Jay learns a great deal about his Filipino heritage, his family, and the reasons behind the emotional distance of the father who raised him, but will this lead to the truth behind what happened to Jun?  Will the truth Jay uncovers change the direction of his life?  Find out in this gripping novel of personal growth that spotlights the effect of American privilege, including an ignorance of one's heritage and international affairs, like the policies of the Duterte regime, on family and the broader Filipino community.

Russo, Meredith. If I Was Your Girl. Flatiron Books, 2016.

After surviving intense bullying and an attack that nearly took her life, Amanda Harvey has moved to rural Lambertville, Tennessee to finish high school while living with her estranged father.  Nervous of attention, Amanda wants to finish out the year, graduate, and move on to college in the northeast where she hopes her life can finally begin.  When Lambertville brings friends, opportunities, and even a possible romance, Amanda begins to relax and enjoy her senior year, but will her new found friendships survive if her secret is revealed?  Winner of the 2017 Stonewall Book Award for best work of young adult fiction.  The author is a transgender woman and much of the story is based on the author's life experiences.  Readers will be on the edge of their seats as they root for Amanda to stay safe and grow to accept herself.

Saenz, Benjamin Alire. Aristotle and Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe.  Simon and Schuster, 2012.

In anticipation of the long-awaited sequel, this is a must read!  When they meet Ari and Dante seem to be complete opposites, but they connect and begin to learn from each other.  Both are trying to figure out their path, their identity, and where they fit in the larger universe.  Dante becomes the friend that Ari needs, while Ari becomes Dante’s lifesaver.  Both must figure out what their friendship means to them and how it just might resolve their place in the universe.

Salaam, Yusef. Better, Not Bitter: Living on purpose in the pursuit of racial justice. Grand Central, 2021.

Yusef Salaam, one of the Exonerated Five (five teens unjustly jailed in the Central Park jogger case who were eventually cleared of all charges after serving seven years in prison) shares his wisdom and perspective on life.  With seven years of life stolen as a result of his wrongful conviction, plus additional years lost to the harsh judgment of society upon his release, it would be understandable for Salaam to share the dark and unfair treatment he received as the heart of this memoir.  Instead Salaam’s focus is on how his belief in God, his faith in himself, and the power of his family’s love helped him through this difficult time.  This inspiring memoir shows that one can overcome much by focusing on who they are and who they wish to become.  Salaam’s intention to help the many who have been wrongly imprisoned speaks to the quality of the man he has become choosing to help others throughout his personal and professional life moving forward.  This memoir is perfectly paired with the Netflix documentary When They See Us by Ava DuVernay and Punching the Air, the novel in verse that features a teen who has been wrongly imprisoned that Salaam wrote with Ibi Zoboi.

Sanchez, Erika. I am not your Perfect Mexican Daughter. Knopf, 2017

Julia is struggling with her life.  While she loves English and dreams of being a writer, high school is hard.  Her family life, already a struggle, has gotten even harder since the death of her older sister, Olga.  Shouldering her mother’s judgment, her father’s distance, and the normal pressures of life, Julia wants to believe that she can survive, but the weight of her circumstances seem to suggest otherwise.  Can she find the help she needs before she cracks under the pressure? National Book Award finalist for 2017

Skloot, Rebecca.The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks. Crown, 2010.

Writer Rebecca Skloot pens a moving tribute to Henrietta Lacks, the Black woman whose Cancer cells were collected without her knowledge in 1951 and went on to become an important tool that scientists have used to fight Polio, better understand and treat Cancer, and that have been instrumental in other medical milestones.  Written in partnership with the Lacks family, including four Henrietta's five children, Skloot explains the development of the HeLa cell line alongside the story of the family tragedy.  While the scientific community has shared and studied the HeLa line extensively, Henrietta's family was left in the dark on their mother's important role in many of the medical miracles of the past seventy years.  The Lacks' distrust of the medical establishment and lack of understanding of the science behind their mother's contribution, along with the fact that the cells were taken without permission has left them with many questions on the importance and value of their genetic link to science.  This is a story of a family looking for answers and the science reporter who is finally able to help them find some closure on the genetic contribution of their matriarch.

Slater, Dashka. The 57 Bus. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux, 2017.

The only connection between Sasha and Richard is the eight minutes that they share the 57 bus home from school.  As eighteen-year old Sasha, who identifies as neither male nor female, slept on the way home sixteen-year-old Richard, a black student, boarded the bus with friends.  The teens’ paths collide when Richard decides to light the hem of Sasha’s skirt on fire, a rash decision that will stay with both teens far beyond the bus ride.  This book follows both over the next few years as Richard’s decision changes the world for each.  Readable nonfiction at its best!

Smith, Clint. How the Word is Passed. Little, Brown and Co., 2021.

Journalist and poet Clint Smith presents a tour of historic landmarks connected to American slavery.  Beginning with Thomas Jefferson’s Monticello Plantation, Smith tours, explores, and unpacks the history, legacy, and modern interpretation of sites with direct connections to slavery.  Smith’s background as a poet shines as he weaves historical facts, nuanced descriptions of those he meets, and personal observations to offer a thoughtful analysis on the reckoning that challenges American society and the examination of the complicated history of slavery.

Spangler, Brie.  Beast. Alfred A. Knopf, 2016.

For as long as he can remember fifteen year old Dylan has been known as the Beast.  His height (6’7”!), weight (the high school football coach is begging him to join the team, and his general hairy-ness (which Dylan describes as “furry”) combine to make his classmates fear him.  Depressed and alone, Dylan suffers an injury that leads him to a support group for teens who self-harm.  A reluctant participant, Dylan tunes out much of which is said at the first meeting, but he finds himself attracted to Jaime, a tall blonde who seems perfect in Dylan’s eyes.  But can the budding relationship last when Dylan finds out the truth about Jaime?  Will Dylan find a way to stop his self-hatred?  Find out in Brie Spangler’s debut novel

Stone, Nic. Chaos Theory. Crown, 2023.

Master storyteller, Nic Stone, presents two teens struggling with their own unique challenges.  Andy has been hiding his drinking from his family, a habit that started with his guilt over the death of his baby sister.  When Andy accidently connects with Shelbi, a classmate who is working hard to handle her own issues, the two quickly become friends.  While Shelbi is against the idea of this friendship becoming anything more serious, both begin to fall for each other, but can the pair accept each other for who they are and provide the kind of support they both need?  Stone deals with difficult issues like alcoholism, parental abandonment, self-harm, and mental health problems with a clarity and acceptance that encourages her readers to do the same.  Readers will root for Andy and Shelbi, but they may find that they are at their happiest and healthiest when they are apart.

Stone, Nic. Dear Martin. New York: Penguin, 2017.

In this debut novel, Stone examines racism through the eyes of seventeen year old Justyce, an honor student bound for Yale with a clear vision of his future, until he is handcuffed by police without provocation.  After this violation, Justyce begins to look more critically at the world he inhabits and the racism he faces daily becomes more and more unbearable.  In an attempt to make sense of these heavy issues, Justyce begins to write letters to Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. hoping that by viewing the world through the lens of the civil rights leader he will better understand the reality he lives.  Readers follow Justyce through highs and lows and learn from his clear explanation of his feelings on racism, police brutality, and justice.  A fantastic read!

Stone, Nic. Dear Justyce. Crown, 2020.

In this companion novel, Nic Stone tells an important story about the consequences of the school to prison pipeline for Black young people.  Quan, who devoted readers will remember as a supporting character in Dear Martin, is incarcerated and awaiting trial for his role in the shooting of a policeman.  In letters and flashbacks, Quan shares the difficult road he’s traveled and the missed opportunities that could have led to a very different reality.  Quan is fortunate.  He has a loyal friend in Justyce, who rallies a team to help and support Quan as he works to graduate from high school and prove his innocence.  This story will break your heart because the obstacles Quan describes are faced by so many young people.  While it is a work of fiction, the research that Nic Stone did to create authentic situations and characters makes the story all the more compelling.  Not to be missed!

Takei, George. They Called Us Enemy. Top Shelf, 2019.

Actor and social justice activist, George Takei, presents a graphic memoir on the time his family spent in a Japanese internment camp during World War II.  Escorted from their California home by soldiers, the Takei family was shipped to Arkansas with only what they could carry.  Takei’s father became block leader within the camp and his mother struggled to keep her family healthy and safe in horrendous conditions.  Takei recounts the anger that he felt as a teenager when confronting his father about what George assumed was his father’s complicity, as well as the complexity of circumstances that George acknowledged as an adult.  A quick and very worthwhile read!

Tahir, Sabaa. All My Rage. Razorbill, 2022.

Hands down, the best book of the summer for me!  Salahudin and Noor narrate the present set in Juniper, California, while Sal’s mother, Misbah shares the stories of the past.  A loving and strong figure in the lives of best friends Sal and Noor, Misbah struggles with the words a fortune teller gave her before her wedding. “A boy. A girl. And a third that is not she, nor he, nor of the third gender.  You will fail them all.” (25) This prophecy hangs in the background as Misbah becomes sicker and sicker with kidney failure and Sal’s father copes by drowning his pain in a bottle.  Noor, who survived an earthquake that killed her family in Pakistan when she was six, has only Uncle Riaz, who saved her from the rubble.  Noor wants to go to college and become a doctor, but her uncle seems set on making that dream impossible.  When Sal makes a choice that compromises both their futures, all of their dreams are cast in doubt.  Can the strength of Misbah lift the children that she has spent her life guiding or will her fortune become a reality?  National Book Award Winner for 2022, this book is impossible to put down.  

Tan, Shaun. The Arrival. Arthur A. Levine Books, 2006.

Entirely wordless, this graphic work tells the story of an immigrant who leaves home, family, and all that is familiar for new opportunities in a new world.  While the world is nothing like we have ever seen, Tan does an excellent job expressing the isolation, confusion, and loneliness of the immigrant experience.  The pictures beautifully document the emotion behind a very familiar set of experiences.  Warning – If you open this book you may not be able to shut it!

Thomas, Angie. Concrete Rose. Balzer + Bray, 2021.

In this prequel, readers meet the head of the Carter family, Maverick at the age of seventeen.  While Maverick is important to a reader’s understanding of his daughter, Starr in The Hate U Give, his past is suggested, but not fully explained in Thomas’ first novel.  In Concrete Rose, Maverick is a teen Dad with two babies to bring up, despite the fact that he hasn’t figured out his own hopes, goals, and dreams yet.  Tragedy and choices with real consequences shape who Maverick will become, but   Thomas is a master storyteller who illustrates Maverick’s life and loves with a clear brilliance that captures the challenges he faces and the power of family.  This novel is powerful and should not be missed!

Thomas, Ebony Elizabeth. The Dark Fantastic: Race and the Imagination from Harry Potter to the Hunger Games. New York University Press, 2019.

Dr. Ebony Elizabeth Thomas, former teacher, self-proclaimed fantasy fan girl, and scholar takes a critical look at some recent fantasy favorites that include Suzanne Collins's The Hunger Games and J.K. Rowling's Harry Potter series to explore how race is defined in the text and the subsequent movies  of each work.  Thomas's exploration of Rue as the innocent mockingjay in The Hunger Games is eye opening!  Reading this work will change the way that readers look at future fantasy realms, books, and movies for the better.

Vaid-Menon, Alok. Beyond the Gender Binary. Penguin, 2020.

Tiny in scale, but big in impact, this book on gender identity is a great choice for educators, parents, or peers who want to support everyone, regardless of the pronouns one chooses.  This short book, just sixty-four pages, written by a gender non-conforming artist and author, answers important questions like "Why use the pronoun they when it's not grammatically correct?" and "Why be nonbinary? Why can't you just be feminine men or masculine women?" along with other questions often asked by popular media.  The clear and insightful answers provided show the thoughtful path that nonbinary individuals navigate in their discussion of gender. 

Venable, Colleen. Kiss Number 8. First Second, 2019.

Mads attends Catholic school, goes to church with her family, loves her local minor league baseball team, and has always considered her Dad to be her best friend, but everything is about to change.  When Mad begins to suspect her father isn’t being honest with her, she begins to discover more about her past then she is ready to handle.  Will kiss number 8 be a game changer for her?  Find out in this sweet story of a girl who is just beginning to find her path.

Wilkerson, Isabel. Caste: The Origins of Our Discontent. Random House, 2020.

Wilkerson examines the caste systems of America, Nazi Germany, and India by noting the eight pillars that these social hierarchies share.  Each pillar is explored in detail through anecdotes from historical and contemporary subordinate caste members, including the author’s personal experiences as a Black American woman.  Readers will develop a new understanding of America’s racial history and modern social justice struggles through Wilkerson’s analysis of how the caste system continues social inequality.  As Wilkerson notes, the Jim Crow laws and institutional racism of twentieth-century America were studied by Nazi Party officials who hoped to develop a similar caste system in Germany.  The success of the Nazi system led directly to the Holocaust.  Modern Americans who instinctively understand the evil of the Holocaust will be surprised to find that Nazi officials looked to America for a model as they crafted their plans to eliminate millions of their countrymen and women because of the designation to the lower caste.  Caste is so ingrained in social structure that modern members of the dominant caste continue to struggle with implicit bias thus making caste designations difficult to overcome.  This is an eye opening book that all Americans should read. 

Yang, Gene Luen. American Born Chinese. First Second, 2006.

Yang weaves three seemingly separate stories together to give a fresh, modern perspective of a Chinese-American teenager’s experience growing up in the “Western” world.  American-born Jin Wang experiences bullying, racism, and along with typical hardships of today’s teens; Chin-Kee encapsulates every existing negative Chinese stereotype into a single character, whose annual visits horrify his American cousin, Danny; The fable of the Monkey King presents the difficulties that arise when one is not satisfied with one’s true self.  Each story builds to a poignant climax when the characters surprise the reader with their common connections.  A National Book Award Finalist and Printz Medal Winner.

Zoboi, Ibi and Salaam, Yusef.  Punching the Air. Balzer + Bray, 2020.

Amal is tried and convicted for a crime that he didn’t commit.  His hope for a righteous verdict dismissed, Amal has only his strength and the love of his family to support him as he enters juvenile detention.  Inside, Amal continues to face judgment and persecution.  Letters from the outside along with his art and poetry, offer lifelines, but these opportunities are continually limited by a system of punishment that fails to offer any true path toward rehabilitation.  How can a young man work toward rehabilitation when he knows he is innocent of the crime that he has been convicted for?  How can an artist who has so much to offer the world exist within such a limited space?  Amal must continue to draw on his inner strength and the support of his family and friends to survive and to find a way to overcome.  This novel in-verse will break the hearts of readers, but will hopefully inspire those readers to work to reform the judicial and penal system that failed Amal. 

Zoboi, Ibi. Pride. Balzer + Bray, 2018.

In this fantastic Pride and Prejudice remix, the five daughters of the Benitez clan wrestle with life, first love, and the impact of gentrification on their lively block in Bushwick, Brooklyn.  Zuri, the second oldest sister, eyes new neighbors Marcus and Ainsley Darcy with suspicion when they move into the mansion that their family just renovated across the street for her apartment building.  The private schooled brothers don’t fit into the neighborhood and Zuri views their presence and intentions with suspicion.  When Ainsley is interested in Zuri’s older sister Janae, Zuri actively roots against the match to save her sister from heartache while the behavior of stuck-up Marcus infuriates her.  Perhaps there is more to the Darcy boys than Zuri understands.  Ibi Zoboi crafts a fresh take on a favorite classic that gives readers a whole new set of sisters to root for. 

Zoboi, Ibi. Star Child: A biographical constellation of Octavia Estelle Butler. Dutton Children’s Books, 2022.  

Poems, interview excerpts, and artifacts, work with Zoboi’s narrative and take turns telling the story of author Octavia Butler.  In addition to a discussion of Butler’s life, Zoboi weaves in the historical events that she lived through.  The Jim Crow South, the Red Scare, Roswell and the possibility of alien life all colored the world of the woman who was destined to become a  master of science fiction, Butler’s work was a pull for Zoboi’s own journey as an author with their connection leading to this biography.  Readers will be encouraged to learn more about Butler, to read and enjoy her masterpieces of science fiction, and to find their own creative voice through her inspiration.