The Newcomers by Helen Thorpe Thorpe’s reflective and very human account chronicles the year she spent with the Newcomers, a class of immigrant teens, revealing the abundant challenges of cultural assimilation and resettlement. Check it out!
Jasmine Toguchi: Mochi Queen by Debbi Michiko Florence, Illustrated by Elizabet Vukovic Hoping to participate in this year’s family New Year’s Day mochi celebration Jasmine is building up her muscles and mental strength. Will it be enough? Check it out!
Tattoos on the Heart by Gregory Boyle A priest called to work with gang members in LA shares his experiences giving and receiving truly unconditional love in at-risk communities, and the renewal these encounters bring. Check it out!
27 Magic Words by Sharelle Byars Moranville When Kobi’s parents disappear she invests 27 post-its her mother left behind with the magic to bring them back. But as time moves on their magic is wearing thin. Check it out!
A Thousand Acres by Jane Smiley Three sisters and a difficult father must reconcile loyalty with self-worth, in Smiley’s King Lear-inspired study of what it means to belong to a family, a club one does not join intentionally. Check it out!
If I Ever Get Out of Here by Eric Gansworth Lewis’s life on the reservation is hard but when a new boy arrives at the local Air Force base Lewis finds an unlikely friend. Is their friendship strong enough to survive a vicious bully? Check it out!
Girls Burn Brighter by Shobha Rao Though the cruelty of others pulls them apart, Poornima and Savitha strive to overcome poverty and distance in this powerful ode to love’s indissoluble bond. Check it out!
Grizzly Boy by Barbara Davis-Pyles A child’s contrary, Grizzly Boy persona refuses to cooperate but when his mother pursues the same kind of freedom they both grow in understanding. Check it out!
The Scorpio Races by Maggie Stiefvater Kate’s place in the community is tested when she decides to become the first girl to run the Scorpio Races, an annual race of fantastical, carnivorous water horses. Check it Out!
Outlander by Diana Gabaldon Thrust into an unknown place and time, Claire Randall navigates conflict in the Scottish Highlands with fierce strength, even as she worries about her husband back in her own time. Check it Out!