$16.95
ISBN: 9781773063294
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Groundwood Books - October 1st, 2019
An almost unbelievably sparse novel-in-verse. Misael and his family join a caravan of refugees traveling by foot, bus, train - anything - from El Salvador to the United States. The book has very few details about the journey itself, and instead focuses its plot on how the hopes and fears of the refugees evolve as they travel. An unusual book with a beautifully haunting ending. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
$16.99
ISBN: 9780062881687
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Quill Tree Books - March 31st, 2020
Efren already has enough on his plate, with two crazy younger siblings and a class president election in which he's torn between supporting his goofy best friend or a smart girl who might actually be right for the job. Then his world is upended when his mother is suddenly deported from their town in Southern California. Since his father is also undocumented, Efren must cross the border alone to bring his Ama the money she needs to pay coyotes to sneak her back into the States. This is a book of big choices: who to trust, what to risk, and whether to stand up for what's right. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
$17.99
ISBN: 9781984815682
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Dial Books - August 11th, 2020
In the current wave of middle-grade books about childhood sexual assault, this book stands out in a big way. It doesn't just hint at the subject, but rather makes it the focus of the book, crafting its plotlines around acceptance, recovery, and defensive action. For those who may doubt that this is appropriate for a child reader, please remember that Bradley's bestselling Newbery Honor book, The War That Saved My Life, is intensely joyful despite its topics of childhood domestic violence and PTSD. Bradley is a master of taking care of her reader while introducing them to difficult subject matter and infusing a deep sense of hope within her books. Fighting Words is an empowering call to action and should be read by every child, girl or boy. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
$18.99
ISBN: 9781338255812
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Scholastic Press - March 3rd, 2020
This book! WOW! By far the best debut I've read in a long time. Historical fiction set on Martha's Vineyard in the early 1800's, where protagonist Mary is a member of the large Deaf community on the island. Deafness has always seemed normal to the islanders, who are all fluent in sign language, and Mary is unaware of the abusive treatment and low social status suffered by the Deaf on the American mainland. As tensions over land disputes between the English settlers and the Wampanoag native to the island become increasingly fraught, a scientist arrives and begins to investigate the cause of the islanders' deafness. Suddenly, Mary's world is ripped from underneath her feet, and she is rudely awakened to the devastation caused by prejudice. I can't stress enough how well-written this book is. It was particularly interesting how the characters' signing influenced the otherwise traditionally colonial tone of the book. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
$16.99
ISBN: 9781368048958
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Little, Brown Books for Young Readers - May 26th, 2020
After Maddie's father died in an accident, she started to see danger at every turn and called the police so many times that the chief of police will no longer take her seriously. So when she begins to suspect that the new kid in her neighborhood is that same boy who was kidnapped from a nearby town a few months ago, she knows that she'll need proof before she asks for help. I would categorize this as an "emotional mystery" - all the traditional beats of a mystery novel are mirrored by Maddie's struggle to understand her complicated feelings about the death of her father and her attempts to figure out how to bond with her new stepfather. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
$17.99
ISBN: 9780823444946
Availability: Click Title for IN STOCK Location
Published: Holiday House - July 21st, 2020
It's 1950 in North Korea, and the communist regime is at war with American-backed South Korea. Twelve-year-old Sora and her family use the chaos caused by the war as an opportunity to flee to South Korea - and freedom. But when Sora and her little brother, Young, become separated from the rest of the family, they must attempt to travel the hundreds of miles by themselves, on foot, and in the middle of a brutal winter. This is further complicated by the fact that although Sora loves Young, she's resentful of the fact that her parents only value their sons, and made her take care of them instead of going to school. A beautifully written book that makes history feel contemporary by looking at it through a feminist lens. ~ Reviewed by Nadja Tiktinsky
