Strange Birds by Celia C. Perez, review by Mrs. Fay

F PER, Realistic Fiction

Summary: Four very different girls (Ofelia Castillo, Aster Douglas, Cat Garcia, and Lane DiSanti) have an unforgettable summer as they bond over a shared mission to get the Floras, their local Scouts, to ditch an outdated tradition. In their quest for justice and independence, the girls form their own troop and find something they didn't know they needed: sisterhood.

Three Dark Crowns by Kendare Blake, review by Mrs. Fay

F BLA, Fantasy

Summary: In every generation on the island of Fennbirn, a set of triplets is born—three queens, all equal heirs to the crown and each possessor of a coveted magic. Mirabella is a fierce elemental, able to spark vicious storms at the snap of her fingers. Katharine is a poisoner, one who can ingest the deadliest poisons without so much as a stomachache. Arsinoe, a naturalist, is said to have the ability to control the fiercest of lions. But becoming the Queen Crowned isn’t solely a matter of royal birth. Each sister has to fight for it. And it’s not just a game of win or lose…it’s life or death. The night the sisters turn sixteen, the battle begins.

The Remarkable Journey of Coyote Sunrise, by Dan Gemeinhart, review by Mrs. Ovsak

F GEM WAW 2020-2021

Summary: Five years. That's how long Coyote and her dad have lived on the road, traveling in a school bus. It is also how long it has been since losing her mom and two sisters in a terrible accident. Her father has been so preoccupied with their life on the road, that he fails to acknowledge Coyote's real need to grieve the loss of her family. When she receives word that the neighborhood park where her family buried a memory box is being demolished, Coyote devises a plan to get her father to return to her home in Washington so she can retrieve the box and her cherished memories. Along the way, they pick up a random assortment of people, who seem to be running to or away from their own troubles. This book is a book about love, forgiveness, and growth. I highly recommend!

Look Both Ways: A Tale Told in 10 Blocks by Jason Reynolds

F REY Diversity Display

Summary (Taken from Goodreads; www.goodreads.com):

This story was going to begin like all the best stories. With a school bus falling from the sky. But no one saw it happen. They were all too busy—

Talking about boogers. / Stealing pocket change. / Skateboarding. / Wiping out. / Braving up. / Executing complicated handshakes. / Planning an escape. / Making jokes. / Lotioning up. / Finding comfort.

But mostly, too busy walking home.

Jason Reynolds conjures ten tales (one per block) about what happens after the dismissal bell rings, and brilliantly weaves them into one wickedly funny, piercingly poignant look at the detours we face on the walk home, and in life.