Allies by Alan Gratz

Allies is an action-packed, multi-faceted look at a day in history that many young people know little about. Readers see D-Day from multiple perspectives, including Samira, an Algerian girl whose mother is part of the French resistance; Dee, an American soldier on a Higgins boat; James, a paratrooper; and Henry, an African American medic trying to save lives on the beach. The book realistically includes blood and death and the terror of the war, and there is not a happy ending for all of the characters. Alan Gratz has many fans, and Allies will not disappoint. Highly recommended for middle schoolers who want to read about war and who like books full of action and heroism.

The Lovely War by Julie Berry

Aphrodite is in a fancy New York City hotel room having an argument with some of the other Greek Gods. Using her wealth of experience, she tells two love stories, both set during World War I, to prove a point about the power of human love. One is the story of a young British couple, a pianist and an architect, who fall in love just before both head to France, one as a soldier and the other as a volunteer. The other story is of an African American musician/soldier and the traumatized Belgian woman that he falls in love with. Both relationships face major struggles and life-threatening situations. Readers who enjoy romance and historical fiction will absolutely love these stories and will be drawn into scenes of World War I France. I recommend this book for middle school students willing to take on a challenging book (probably best for grade 8-up) all the way up through adults who love historical fiction and romance. 

Clean Getaway by Nic Stone

Scoob Lamar has been whisked away on a strange road trip by his beloved G'ma. Scoob, biracial and brown-skinned, is with his white grandma as she drags him through the south with the guidance of her historic Green Book. Scoob learns that travel used to be dangerous and difficult when G'ma and Grandpa made the same trip years ago. Scoob also figures out that his G'ma is cutting off contact with his father and may be committing crimes along the way. The characters are fresh and funny, and the social history will make for great conversations. Nic Stone is making great contributions to YA literature and brings her talent to a younger audience with this middle grade story. Recommended for grades 4-7.

The Omnivore's Dilemma: The Secrets behind What You Eat (Young readers edition) by Michael Pollen

In this nonfiction book, a journalist and food detective takes a deep dive into modern food and how it gets to American consumers. You may never have wondered where your food comes from, but once you read this book you will think about it in ways you never did before. Michael Pollen begins by investigating industrial farming. He talks about corn (who knew that corn had such a huge influence on our diet?) and cattle (he buys one cow and tries to trace its life from birth to the industrial slaughterhouse). He also investigates organic farming on an industrial scale, and organic farming on a small scale. He even takes a turn at being a hunter-gatherer. Young people who care about taking care of the planet, feeding the hungry, vegetarianism, or personal health should wellness should absolutely read this book. For that matter, anyone who eats should read this book. Recommended for smart, curious middle schoolers on up through adults.

Crying Laughing by Lance Rubin

If you like laughing through tears, this may be the book for you. Winnie Friedman is funny, but a couple of years ago she humiliated herself doing stand up comedy at her bat mitzvah. Now in high school, she joins the school's improvisational comedy troupe at the suggestion of a boy who laughs at her jokes. Suddenly Winnie is right where she belongs and even her love life is looking up, but things get complicated when she gets bad news about a family issue. Winnie's parents are well-rounded characters with lives of their own, and Winnie's hijab-wearing best friends also are unique individuals with strong back stories. At it's heart it's a story about family and friends and forgiveness, and how to be good to the people you love. But what I enjoyed the most were the descriptions of improv comedy games and the play-by-play scenes that these high schoolers create. I don't know of any other YA book that focuses on improv. Actors and aspiring comedians will want to read it, but so will teens who like Jordan Sonnenblick and Julie Buxbaum. Recommended for grades 7-10, and for my college roommate who introduced me to the world of improvisational theatre.