Tuck Everlasting by Natalie Babbitt (graphic novel) adapted and illustrated by K. Woodman-Maynard

The first week of August hangs at the very top of summer, the top of the live-long year, like the highest seat of a ferris wheel when it pauses in its turning. 

Natalie Babbitt wrote the captivating, poetic, beautiful novel Tuck Everlasting over 50 years ago. In it, Winnie Foster comes to love the immortal Tuck family and must decide whether or not to drink from the spring of eternal life. The original story is full of metaphor and images of wheels turning and time moving forward. It's a book that opened my mind when I first read it as a sixth grader in 1980. I am thrilled to say that this graphic adaptation beautifully captures that ache that Winnie Foster has to laugh and be loved, and the painful lessons she learns about staying on the wheel of time. The story has action (very important for young readers today) and includes a kidnapping, an evil pursuer, a potential execution, and life-or-death decisions. I absolutely love this story in its original form and in this lovely graphic novel. I am thrilled that it will bring Tuck Everlasting to a new generation of young readers. This book belongs in every elementary and middle school library. 

Where Wolves Don't Die by Anton Treuer

 

Ezra Cloud is a Native kid living in the city. He hates it there but his dad is a professor of Ojibwe language with a job in Minneapolis. Ezra would rather be in Canada with his grandparents learning their skills in nature. When Ezra has a run-in with Matt Shroeder, a notoriously troubled bully, Ezra becomes a suspect in a fire that destroys Matt's house and kills his family members. Ezra's family sends him north to work a trapline with his grandfather while the investigation plays out, knowing that an Indian teenager may not get fair treatment from the law. This book grabs your attention from the first page, makes you fall in love with Ezra and his grandparents, then catapults you into an outdoor survival story, then brings you back to the original murder mystery. It's a great story with so much to learn along the way. The audiobook read by the author is excellent, and it will help readers to hear the Ojibwe words spoken. It's a true coming of age story about a young teen finding his culture, learning about his mother, seeing his grandparents as full people, finding first love, facing mortal danger, and reconciling with his father. Beautifully written and insightful and a really great story. Highly recommended for 7th graders on up and also for adults.  

Brownstone by Samuel Teer and Mar Julia

 

Imagine spending a whole summer with the father you've never met in a city you've never been to in a community where you don't speak the language. Almudena is 14 going on 15 and that's how she spends her summer. Her white mom leaves her with her Guatemalan dad in New York City. Her father, Xavier, is eager to get to know her, but he doesn't speak English and she doesn't speak Spanish. He is fixing up an old Brownstone building and expects her to demolish walls and put up sheetrock and learn construction skills. At the same time she meets his friends and neighbors and his girlfriend, and finds a vibrant community that she comes to know and want to join. This Printz Award winning graphic novel is a great example of Young Teen Lit. Recommended for middle and high school libraries. 

Hands by Torrey Maldonado

Trev is a 12-year-old kid with adult problems. His stepfather, who is in jail for hitting his mother, is scheduled to be released soon. Trev believes it is his job to protect his mom and sisters, and he decides to go to a gym and learn to fight. As you can see from the cover, Trev has two sides--he is both a fighter and an artist--and the theme of this book is Trev choosing how to use his hands. Trev lives in the projects, and even though he feels the weight of the world on his shoulders, there is a village around him that advises him and tries to protect him. I love that his book is short (we need more short books!), and the chapters are only a couple of pages long which makes it very appealing to pick up and read in short bursts. I know that lots of kids are going to see themselves in this book, or they are going to gain some empathy from walking in Trev's shoes. I'm not going to spoil things, but the ending was abrupt for me and I think kids are going to wish they had a few more scenes to wrap it up. This is a great choice for upper elementary readers--I recommend it for 4th-6th graders. 

Two Tribes by Emily Bowen Cohen

 

Mia is a middle schooler with two identities--her mother is Jewish and her father is a member of the Muscogee Nation. She lives with her mom and stepfather in California and attends a Jewish school. She doesn't have a lot of contact with her father, who now lives far away in Oklahoma with a new wife and children. Mia begins to have questions about her heritage and realizes that she doesn't know anything about being Muscogee. After some insensitive comments from classmates and the school's rabbi about her background, Mia hatches a plan to visit her father in Oklahoma without her mother knowing (her mom harbors a lot of resentment toward her ex-husband). The plan involves pretending to go on a school trip, but taking a taxi to a bus station and riding a bus across the country to Oklahoma. She gets away with it for a short time and makes valuable connections with her father and her relatives there, including meeting her grandmother and going to a powwow. This could have been a preachy book about a girl learning about her two identities, but in reality it's a compelling story that beautifully shows Jewish traditions and native traditions and makes connections between them. I especially liked that the adults in Mia's life are not perfect--they make mistakes and have regrets and do their best to make things right. Essential reading for middle schoolers--and it's a graphic novel which means kids will be drawn to it. 

Genesis Begins Again by Alicia D. Williams

 

Genesis is a 13-year-old girl with a list of things she hates about herself. One of the primary things is the darkness of her skin. The book begins with Genesis and her mother being evicted from their home and moving from their Detroit neighborhood to a rented house in a beautiful suburb. Her father promises that he is getting a promotion and that he an afford the home, but Genesis has learned not to trust him. She has never lived in such a nice area but is wary of settling in. Genesis finds out from her own grandmother that the family didn't want her parents to marry because of the darkness of her father's skin. And now her father denigrates her for that same dark skin she inherited from him. While the book swirls with issues of race and colorism and family dynamics, what makes it shine is how deeply we come to empathize with Genesis. She's a character that readers can really root for as she overcomes obstacles and comes into her own. The audiobook, read by the author, is an outstanding listening experience. Highly recommended for middle school-up. 

Prairie Lotus by Linda Sue Park

 

Hanna is a 14-year-old girl who settles in a South Dakota town with her father. The year is 1880, and Hanna, who is half Chinese, knows that she will face prejudice in her new town. Hanna and her father, who is white, are still mourning the death of her mother, who was Chinese. Living in California wasn't quite as difficult, but now that they are in a prairie town (yes, almost exactly like the prairie town that Laura Ingalls Wilder wrote about), Hanna must struggle just to finish school. Hanna has a gift for designing clothing, and in addition to finishing school, she wants to open a dress shop in her father's store, and she yearns for a friend. Hanna's interactions with indigenous women she meets on the prairie are priceless, and while this books stands alone, it is certainly also a response to other books that have glorified the white pioneers and settlers. Recommended for all readers from third grade through adults. 

You Bring the Distant Near by Mitali Perkins

In the 1960s, a family from India moves to New York City to make a better life for their children. The two daughters, Sonia and Tara, are very different and they make their own choices about pursuing their dreams and falling in love. They each have a daughter, and the book picks up with the stories of the two cousins, one who lives in the United States and the other who lives in India. In the end we have learned about three generations of Indian-American women and how they have dealt with love, marriage, cultural differences, and caring for their daughters. If you like to read about families and cultures and how things connect together, or if you are interested in India, you will want to read this book.

Watch Us Rise by Renée Watson and Ellen Hagen

Powerful, well-written, and inspiring, this story about New York teens at a social justice high school deserves a wide audience. A couple of high school girls start a Women's Rights Club and find that it's too much for even their progressive high school to handle. This book is brimming with poetry and activism, and also deals with racial microaggressions and interracial friendships. This book includes a poem about body image, with every word taken straight from a teen fashion magazine, that I will never forget. Highly recommended for grades 8-up.

Moxie by Jennifer Mathieu

Moxie is an empowering book about a girl who sees the toxic masculinity of her high school and does something about it. Vivian, an unlikely heroine, starts an underground zine that seems to go nowhere, but in the end influences the whole culture of her school. Women and teen girls will love it and take inspiration from Vivian, but I'm going to make sure boys to read it as well--they definitely could learn from the mistakes that boys and men make in the taunting, groping, silencing culture of Vivian's high school. Moxie is also a romance and a coming of age story and I highly recommend it to grades 8-up.

Hope and Other Punch Lines by Julie Buxbaum

This romance intertwined with history and tragedy will be welcomed by middle school readers. Abbi, also known as Baby Hope, has lived her whole life as a symbol of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. She's now a teenager who wants to just be her anonymous self while working as a summer camp counselor. Noah Stern, whose life was also upended by 9/11, is thrilled to meet Abbi and enlist her help in delving into the famous photograph that she is running from. He's an aspiring comedian and they connect despite Abbi's best efforts to avoid him. This book will be enjoyed by readers of all ages who like romances and characters who grow and overcome challenges.

The Poet X by Elizabeth Acevedo

This is one of those YA books I am going to tell all my adult friends to read...it's a beautiful story told in exquisite language. I love the characters, the complex interplay of religion, and the power of reconciliation and hope. A nuanced coming of age story--I'm going to recommend it to mature 8th graders on up. I read it on the same day that I finished Angie Thomas' new book On the Come Up. There were so many similarities it's almost eerie--it would make a great pairing to talk about Xiomara and Bri and their relationship to poetry and to their mothers. Although they come from very different backgrounds, they both have learned to use anger to ward off danger. They both have brothers that are key figures in their lives. Their words are their dreams and they speak out boldly and get in trouble when other people interpret their words. Would Bri and Xiomara be friends? This would be a great debate question for a book club.

On the Come Up by Angie Thomas

Bri's dream is to be a famous rapper--and the book opens with her competing in "the ring" and coming out the winner. Her Aunt Pooh, who doubles as her manager, says she is "on the come up" and Bri, still in high school, is willing to do what it takes to have the career that her father never had. Like many characters in a recent string of YA books, Bri lives in a rough neighborhood (the same one as Starr from The Hate U Give), but attends school in a more affluent neighborhood where she is a minority. At her school for the arts she is frequently reprimanded for being hot tempered, rolling her eyes, or defying authority. She's not really a trouble-maker, but the perception is that the school administration comes down hard on students of color. Bri deals with a lot of stresses, including her mom's unemployment, her aunt's drug dealing, and the dangers of offending various gang members. She records an original song that goes viral on YouTube, and some say her lyrics means things she never intended. Can she put out inflammatory words in the name of art or should she temper her message to portray who she really is? That is just one of many great questions this book brings up. As with The Hate U Give, this book will have students reading, discussing, and relating to a complex, believable, and very likable character whose story is never predictable or trite. The book contains language and situations that make it most appropriate for 8th grade-up, but younger kids will be clamoring to read it as well.

Darius the Great is Not Okay by Adib Khorram

Darius never feels good enough--he has trouble making friends, he struggles to connect with his father, and he takes medication for depression. He is half Persian but has never set foot in Iran. His family's journey there to meet his maternal grandparents is the catalyst for this story and the opening he needs to meet a new friend and gain an understanding of his father, his heritage, and his own abilities. This charm of this book is Darius--his thoughts, his constant Star Trek references, and his awkward and funny self-assessments. Khorram beautifully captures Darius's family and the new friend he meets in Iran. This is a gem that may not have a wide audience, but thoughtful readers will treasure this story and come away feeling like they made a friend. Highly recommended for grades 8-up.

Piecing Me Together by Renee Watson

"I am learning to speak. To give myself a way out. A way in."

The opening lines of this story resonate through the entire book. Jade lives in Portland, Oregon. Her life is focused on making something of herself and that includes learning Spanish, working on collage art, and going across town to a prestigious private school. Jade's mother doesn't always have money for even the basics, but Jade has a strong family and friends in her own neighborhood. When Jade is offered the opportunity to have a mentor in the "Woman to Woman" program she is wary--she doesn't want to always feel like people are doing things for her, but she accepts and Maxine becomes her mentor. But Jade has a lot to offer, and as she learns how to speak up and use her voice, she opens herself up to new opportunities. Renee Watson is a brilliant writer, and this book takes you deeply into Jade's life and let's you see all it's complications and possibilities.

The Hate U Give by Angie Thomas

Starr is a 16-year-old girl living in two worlds. Her neighborhood, where her Dad runs the local grocery store, is what some people would call the ghetto. Her prep school, where she has both female friends and a serious boyfriend, is populated with mostly privileged white students. Starr lives in both worlds, but when she takes a ride from an old friend who is then shot by a white police officer, Starr must make difficult decisions about how to stand up for justice and how to reveal her true self to her school friends. This book successfully navigates between big racial issues and the small details of life. Starr and her family and friends are complicated characters that make mistakes and also make good decisions. As a reader, I became invested in Starr and her parents and their everyday struggles as well as their larger struggles against a system stacked against them. This book is brilliantly written and deserves the National Book Award nomination that it has received. Recommended for 8th grade through adult readers.

Kalahari by Jessica Khoury

This science fiction action-adventure is set in the very real Kalahari semi-desert in Botswana, where the Sarah lives with her father who is a conversation researcher. In order to fund his research, her father has brought a group of 5 teenagers to  experience life in the Kalahari. Sarah, who is not  an outgoing person, must take care of the newly arrived teenagers while her father goes off to confront some wildlife poachers. When her father doesn't return, Sarah and the teens embark on a treacherous journey to find her father and get themselves to safety. It's too much of a spoiler to explain how this book becomes a science fiction story, but it does and it involves human meddling in genetics. It's a fast-paced story that will appeal to students who love wildlife and nature and science, as well as kids who just like action-adventure books.

Written in the Stars by Aisha Saeed

This book grabbed me and I finished it within one day. I am interested in human rights and women's rights in particular, and this provided a fascinating look at the life of a girl of Pakistani heritage. Naila is an American girl with Pakistani parents. She is bright and ambitious and looking forward to college. She also has a boyfriend that she keeps a secret from her strict parents. But one night of fun gets her a consequence that she would not have believed. She thinks that her parents are taking her and her brother to stay with relatives in Pakistan for a short time, but the trip expands and all her future plans are up in the air. I found myself imagining how I would have gotten out of such a situation and I suspect that in real life Naila wouldn't have had a good outcome. I am curious how Pakistani readers react to this book. I imagine some would find it to be an indictment of their culture while others would welcome the story that exposes how girls can be treated differently in other cultures. I think American students will enjoy the story and learn something at the same time. I also must put in a plug for one of my all-time favorite books, Shabanu by Suzanna Fisher Staples. It's also about a girl Pakistan caught up in a world where she can't make decisions about her own future.

The Scar Boys by Len Vlahos

This is one of the best YA books I have read this year. I was hooked from the beginning and enjoyed it all the way through. It is the much-longer-than-250-word college essay of a boy named Harry, who in his own words is "ugly and shy and my face, head, and neck are covered with hideous scars." Harry's disfigurement (due to a childhood lightning strike) causes him a lot of social difficulties, but once he starts high school he makes a friend and they start a band. This is the story of the Scar Boys and how they navigate the difficult journey toward adulthood. It's also the story of how four teenagers try to stay friends even as they start to go separate ways. The unequal nature of Harry and John's friendship was the part that really seemed real to me and made this rise above the level of a book about guys in a band. I loved the writing and the characters and even the descriptions of a band on a road trip. Recommended for high school readers (lots of "adult" language).

Me, Him, Them and It by Caela Carter

Evelyn has some serious problems. In her efforts to annoy her distant and difficult parents, she starts to party and be a "bad girl." When she gets involved with a guy she doesn't care about and becomes pregnant she doesn't know where to turn. All she knows is that she can't possibly terminate her pregnancy. But who can she trust? Where can she go? The father of the baby has checked out. Her best friend is angry at her. Her parents idea of supporting her is to send her to live with an aunt in Chicago. Evelyn is mixed up and self-centered and smart, and her journey through adult decisions is both frustrating and fascinating. I kept wanting to read just to find out what (and when) she would finally decide to do. This is definitely a book for high school and up, and is recommended for readers of realistic fiction who like stories about emotional growth.