Where the news stories wash over you, this graphic novel of one boy's journey from central Africa to Italy will open your eyes and stay in your heart. Beautifully told and illustrated. Appropriate for young and old.
Molly
Alexander (along with Mary Rand Hess) has done it again! Swing is a coming-of-age tale that feels accessible and urgent. Covering everything from baseball to high school romance, jazz to heartbreak, Swing tells the story of two best friends longing to express themselves. Their path to becoming seen might not always feel straightforward, but what does in high school?
Caleb
Super cute story that teaches that empathy and supporting others isn't a weakness, but a strength. The art is adorable, and the color palette really pops.
Stacey
When you've streamed the Netflix movie for the fifth time and are pining for more Lara Jean Covey, pick up the book it's based on! Full of family, heart, cute boys, teenage mishaps, delicious cookies, and a fantastic Korean-American heroine, To All the Boys I've Loved Before is the perfect read for a cozy chair and a mug of hot chocolate. (Plus, there are two sequels!)
Rebecca
Sanna follows her breathtaking debut Journey with a book about fear in new places. This emotional, accessible book is exactly what we need to begin conversations and encourage a welcoming environment to immigrants and refugees
Marika
When his grandfather's rebab is stolen, Afghan refugee Sami makes a series of trades throughout Boston and Cambridge in order to make enough money to buy it back from the pawnshop.
Sarah
Sadie's sister was murdered, and she knows who did it. She decides to track down the killer herself after the cops' unsatisfactory investigation, but goes missing along the way. Sadie's narrative is intertwined with that of Wes, who is following her trail and making a Serial-like podcast as he tries to find her--this book is tense, twisty, and heart-wrenching and perfect for fans of true crime. Best book I've read this year.
April
This is the 18th-century women-in-science pirate girl gang you've always dreamed of, tearing down ideas of patriarchy and colonialism as they swashbuckle their way across Europe and the Atlantic. Felicity is fierce, funny, and whip-smart. I didn't think I could love a book as much as Gentleman's Guide, but this one is just as good--and it's a companion novel, so you can pick this one up even if you haven't read the first one yet!
Kate
Who knew middle grade could be so delightfully spooky? Arden does a wonderful job of anchoring increasingly fantastic (and scary) situations in fleshed-out, vivid characters; readers will surely grow invested in Ollie's journey to find freedom, family, and a way out of the grip of fearful scarecrows!
Caleb
It matters! Really!!
Robin
