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 […]
Always Never Yours by Emily Wibberley
August 28, 2018 by ·
Megan Harper is the girl before. All her exes find their one true love right after dating her. It’s not a curse or anything, it’s just the way things are, and Megan refuses to waste time feeling sorry for herself. Instead, she focuses on pursuing her next fling, directing theatre, and fulfilling her dream school’s […]
Books to Read to Understand the Plight of the Refugee
June 22, 2018 by ·
Books bring cultures, and people together. I am a firm believer that if you don’t understand something, you should read about it. People are often misinformed about many serious issues and if given the opportunity to walk in someone else’s shoes even through the pages of a book, you can begin to understand. Before we […]
THE FALL OF INNOCENCE by Jenny Torres Sanchez
June 8, 2018 by ·
Jenny Torres Sanchez (www.jennytorressanchez.com) is a full-time writer and former English teacher. She was born in Brooklyn, New York, but has lived on the border of two worlds her whole life. She is the author of Because of the Sun; Death, Dickinson, and the Demented Life of Frenchie Garcia; and The Downside of Being […]
Monday’s Not Coming by Tiffany D. Jackson
May 23, 2018 by ·
Monday Charles is missing, and only Claudia seems to notice. Claudia and Monday have always been inseparable—more sisters than friends. So when Monday doesn’t turn up for the first day of school, Claudia’s worried. When she doesn’t show for the second day, or second week, Claudia knows that something is wrong. Monday wouldn’t just leave […]
From Twinkle, With Love by Sandhya Menon
May 22, 2018 by ·
Three starred reviews for this charming romantic comedy about an aspiring teen filmmaker who finds her voice and falls in love, from the New York Times bestselling author of When Dimple Met Rishi. Aspiring filmmaker and wallflower Twinkle Mehra has stories she wants to tell and universes she wants to explore, if only the world would listen. So […]
Amal Unbound by Aisha Saeed
May 20, 2018 by ·
“Books were what made my days bearable. They were what helped me sleep at night without my homesickness choking me.” When Amal’s ordinary life in her quiet Pakistani village is disrupted and she is forced to stay home from school to help her mother take of her siblings, Amal holds on to the hope that […]
Don’t Forget Me by Victoria Stevens
May 18, 2018 by ·
Seventeen-year-old Hazel Clarke is no stranger to heartbreaks, and being sent to live with a father she’s never met is the latest in a string of them. Even the beauty of eastern Australia isn’t enough to take her mind off her mother and the life she had to leave behind in England. But when Hazel […]
