“Song for a Whale” is a gem of a book; a story about a young deaf girl who often feels isolated and alone because of her deafness. Iris is a bit of a tech genius and is often sought after to fix everything for everyone but is often made to feel as if she is […]
Jazz Owls by Margarita Engle
October 17, 2018 by ·
This novel in verse is a fascinating historical depiction of real life events that led to the Zoot Suit Riots of Los Angeles. It tells the story of what it was like to be Mexican American in California during World War II. Margarita Engle weaves a tale rich in culture, mixed with power and gives […]
Marcus Vega Doesn’t Speak Spanish by Pablo Cartaya
October 16, 2018 by ·
This is a story about a boy who does not quite fit in but who was obviously born to stand out. Marcus is an 8th grader who towers over his peers and uses his height and bulk to provide protection for kids who are bullied. Marcus reminds me a lot of my own son who […]
GIRLS WHO CODE: SPOTLIGHT ON CODING CLUB by: Michelle Schusterman
October 2, 2018 by ·
Girls Who Code books are some of the best STEM fiction books out today. We follow a group of girl coders who are not only best friends but are each others greatest cheerleaders. In the stories they always face a real life dilemma, and work though it in true friendship fashion. Spotlight On Coding Club […]
Harbor Me by Jacqueline Woodson
September 5, 2018 by ·
We all live on this earth together and we will only be here this one time. It is imperative that we teach our young people to be kind to one another because you never know what another person is battling in their life. If they learn to be kind now, they will be kind adults […]
The Curse of the Werewolf Boy by Chris Priestley
July 10, 2018 by ·
Mildew and Sponge don’t think much of Maudlin Towers, the blackened, gloomladen, gargoyle-infested monstrosity that is their school. But when somebody steals the School Spoon and the teachers threaten to cancel the Christmas holidays until the culprit is found, our heroes must spring into action and solve the crime! But what starts out as a […]
Betty Before X by Ilyasah Shabazz and Renée Watson
May 22, 2018 by ·
A powerful middle-grade novel about the childhood activism of Betty Shabazz, Malcolm X’s wife, written by their daughter. In Detroit, 1945, eleven-year-old Betty’s house doesn’t quite feel like home. She believes her mother loves her, but she can’t shake the feeling that her mother doesn’t want her. Church helps those worries fade, if only for […]
Me, Frida and the Secret Peacock by Angela Cervantes
May 19, 2018 by ·
“Whether she liked it or not, Paloma Marquez was in Mexico City for a whole month.” In this enchanting middle grade mystery, we follow 12-year-old Paloma Marquez and her professor mother to Mexico City as she is involved in a research fellowship for the summer. Paloma is a vibrant, smart, fun character who at first […]
Girls Who Code by: Sarah Hutt & Illustrated: Brenna Vaughan
March 21, 2018 by ·
Girls Who Code #3: Lights, Music, Code Perfect for fans of The Babysitters Club and anyone interested in computer science, this series is published in partnership with the organization Girls Who Code! Maya and her friends from coding club have an exciting new project: they’re coding lights and music for the winter dance! But […]
